A New Time
by CreativeCursedChild
Summary: Four years ago, the well was closed after Kagome left. She had caught Inuyasha in a compromising position again and left to teach him a lesson. Little did she know, she would be unable to return. Now, her life is normal, she is happy... Mostly. But, life had a tendency to throw curve balls at her. She still has a very important role to play. Pairings: ?
1. A Different Time

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: (Hello Everyone, I hope you are all having a great day. First off, thanks for stopping by to read my story. A little about me before we begin. I have been a fan of the Inuyasha series since I was about nine years old. I have written stories about them but never put them on a website due to being too shy. Well, I have decided to garner all of my confidence and put a few Fanfictions up for the heck of it. I respect and desire any criticisms and if I make any mistakes, do please inform me so that I might better myself. I am just a little farm boy trying to write you all a grand story and the information would help improve me. ^.^ I will put a good amount of effort into this and update often, possibly more so depending on how well it is received. Well, I won't keep you here with my babbling and I will tell you more about me next chapter. Now, off we go.~))

Chapter One

A Different Time

'Beep... Beep... Beep... Slam!'

The alarm clock was silenced suddenly and knocked off of the night stand and onto the floor as a groan erupted from the mass of sheet and comforter which took up the twin sized bed. Sunlight shown through the blinds and it was clear that regardless of how tired she felt, the day would move on without her if Kagome did not get up. However, after a long night of studying and then a few hours where she watched trash television with Sota (Hell, that stuff was addictive and he would be leaving for Summer Camp soon anyways) somehow the time had gone from ten pm to three am before she had realized it. For a moment, there was no moving on the bed and for a brief second a small snore erupted. That was before another sound suddenly came from the hallway.

'Bam! Bam! Bam!'

It was the unmistakable sound of her brother's footsteps as he quickly ran past her door and into his room. "Mom, I woke up late, where is my uniform?" She heard his muffled shout before hearing an indiscernible response from their mother. After a moment there was another loud series of footsteps and then a moment later a knocking sounded at her door. "Sis! Wake up or you are going to be late, the teach is not going to take another sick excuse!" Sota shouted, bumping his fist against the wood of the door a couple more times before heading down stairs with his jacket and shirt draped over his arm. He need breakfast before getting fully dressed and there wasn't much time.!

Ever since her Freshman year where Kagome's Grandfather had spent so much time giving people sick excuses on her behalf her teachers were always wary of her using such a thing to avoid coming to class. In fact, quite a few of her more harsher classmates had decided that Kagome must have been a hypochondriac* and would tease her often about it. However, in almost four years (After having to repeat her Sophomore classes due to having missed so much) she had made a point that even if she was throwing up, Kagome would never, ever say that she was sick again. Really, no matter what. Hell, she could die while in class, at least she would have attended.

After a moment the covers were thrown back and the dark haired young woman's normal morning routine (Did I mention she tends to watch that trash television every night?) started. First: Get out of bed. This was always hard to do because her mattress was always so warm and comfortable, in a way it beat out her mother's tasty breakfast that was sometimes waiting for her. Sometimes Sora*, Her mother, wouldn't create a morning meal because her children always tended to drag their feet and they would use having to eat their food as an excuse for being late. Though, by the smell of sweet rice in the air, breakfast was surely being served today. So, using a gargantuan effort the daughter forced herself up and quickly rushed around her room.

About twenty minutes later, the door to Kagome's bedroom opened and she appeared. Her hair was pulled back with one hand as she used the other to brush it quickly, some of the knots she had received from her restful sleep were tormenting her. The uniform dark blue skirt which she wore was slight askew revealing almost risque dark red panties* (Don't ask) before she reached down and adjusted the article of clothing. After fixing the buttons on her white top and then placing a head band in her long, dark brown tresses to keep them in place. With a determined and yet slightly tired look in her dark brown eyes, Kagome was ready to face the world. Except for her shoes. And, well... Her backpack. Also, her cellphone was somewhere in the living room and she would have to find it. But, Damn it, she was mostly ready.!

As Kagome moved down the stairs, taking them two by two, she turned and her stocking clad feet nearly caused the young woman to lose her balance before she quickly caught herself on the banister and then propelled herself into the kitchen. "Well, aren't we in a rush, maybe you should try out for the sport's team with moves like those" Sora stated, chuckling softly as she stood next to the oven with her hand on a spoon that was stirring some sweet rice mixed with oatmeal. The rice would have been from their dessert the night before, her mother had been taking classes on how to save money and that meant reusing old food. Though, honestly it never tasted that bad. Except for the day that Sora had attempted to reuse some pickled ginger and wasabi they had received with a sushi platter. But... Well, they didn't talk about that incident much.

"Someone stayed up watching an extra hour of Hell's Kitchen" Sota stated from off to the side, his mouth half food with the food in front of him. The past few years had been good to him, the boy had gotten taller to where he know stood almost as tall as his sister. His shoulders had broadened and he only seemed to be getting bigger. After having found a love for Soccer, he had begun to develop some muscle definition and would surely be a hit with the girl had it not been for his somewhat awkward and shy nature.

Kagome had grown closer to her family after spending so much time at home. At first, it had been rather hard, like adapting to a new life. Which was strange, because honestly while she had spent so long in the Feudal Era, in a way the life she had known before Inuyasha had become rather foreign. However, after the first year and some rather carefully worded discussions with a depression counselor (After all, Kagome could not go around telling everyone her story or they would see her as insane and lock her away) she had been able to finally let go. The past three years had been amazing and in a way, her time in the Feudal Era almost seemed like a dream.

Well... Almost... There were those times that she slipped up. Kagome would find herself staring out her window and down to the well house. Her mind would whisper those "What Ifs...". But, this mentality was always one that she pushed away. While she missed her friends, Sota and her mother needed her to let them go and let them go she had.

"I already am on a sport's team, mom, I got an award for it, remember?" Kagome stated, reaching over her brother's shoulder to retrieve a piece of toast before taking the bowl of rice which was offered to her and sitting down. "Hey, can I help it if I was hoping he would keep Tommy around? I was rooting for him" She explained, shrugging her shoulders before digging into her food. This was a normal morning for the family, both of the children would be in a rush to get to school on time and after they finally departed their mother would set to cleaning the house before going out and meeting with some of her friends. Sora had been able to develop a bit of a social life having Kagome around to help with things and after some encouragement she had joined a book club and a group of single mothers which went out a few times a week. It was good for her.

"Remember to visit your grandfather on your way to school, I think he gets lonely when you both rush past him each day without saying hello" Sora said, pouring herself some of the rice before turning down the burners on the stove and then moving to join her kids. It would only be a few minutes that they would have together before both were forced to rush off but she enjoyed it none the less.

"Okay" Kagome and Sota answered in unison, both clearing through their breakfast quickly despite their mother making a protest or two. It would ruin their digestive systems with the way they ate but both were always in such a rush. She always encouraged them to wake up earlier but neither was ever able to. It was probably due to the television they both watched. Sora would probably have had the more addictive channels removed from their plan had it not been for the fact that usually after they went to bed she would sneak down and watch a few hours of the more interesting programming herself. They did not need to know this, however.

As the clock above the kitchen entrance suddenly chimed, both Kagome and Sota glanced up to it. The time had come... The Morning Rush...

"Mom, have you seen my cellphone?" "You are going to pick me up after practice, right?" "I need you to pick me up a few supplies for my science project" "Can you give me some money? I don't get paid until next week and Yuka was wanting to go shopping today" Both of her children volleyed Sora with questions that she answered as quickly as possible. With moments, Kagome had thirty dollars and her cellphone and Sota had the assurance that, yes, he would be picked up after school and she would have what he needed for his project when he got in. After all their needs were met, both were out thee door in a flash.

"Have a good day at school!" Sora shouted off after them, pausing for a moment before leaning back. "I said, have a good day at school!" She announced louder this time, her eyebrow scrunching for a moment as she listened closely. "Thanks mom, love you!" Her children's voices in unison said as she smiled softly before leaning back and finishing up her food. She needed to clean the living room and then Tanaki-chan wanted to go to the movies.

"See you later, Sis, you are coming to my game,, right?" Sota shouted, waving to his sister as he rushed down the path towards the city. "Yeah, I will see you there!" Kagome shouted after him, waving as well before slowing her footsteps and then stopping with a sigh. He had forgotten to say "Hi" to their grandpa again.

"Hi Grandpa, sorry about Sota, you know how we are in a rush, I hope you are having a nice day and I miss you" Kagome explained, looking at the small yet ornate tomb stone which stood under a small cherry tree her mother had planted. Her grandfather had passed away two years before due to heart failure, it had been something that was hard on their family and yet it had united them. Things had taken a while to go back to normal since then but now, with their mother's new friend and their social life the family was able to move on. But, they would never forget the overly superstitious old man they loved so much.

"I will be graduating in a few months and I really wish you could be there, I still place the seals on the well house like you showed me but we haven't had any problems from there in a long time so I might stop soon, now I have to go so I won't be late, love you" Kagome told him, bowing to his marker and then turning and taking off after her brother. Sota rarely acknowledged where the old man was buried, in their mother's opinion it was too hard on the boy and he was still coming to terms with the man's death.

Kagome had been quicker to recover but after all... She had seen more than one person die...

As she began her walk to school, memories that she often enough tried to fight came worming themselves to the surface of her subconscious. Was Sango and Miroku still alive and were they getting along? Was Shippo okay without her? Did Kaede still go to collect herbs like they had used to do together? Was the old woman whom had been so much like a grandmother still alive as well? These questions, never to be answered, always were able to sneak up on her when she least expected them to. However, knowing that just like all the other times there was no answer to be had, Kagome would force them away and focus on something else.

Luckily, something came to take her mind off of it and that some was Yuka Kinomi, her closest friend.

"Hey! You know if you keep walking like that you will probably hit a pole or something!" Yuka shouted, suddenly jogging up next to her before throwing her arm around Kagome's shoulders. They had become close during their Sophomore year (of course, it has been Yuka's first and Kagome's second) and often enough walked to school together.

"Now, don't get me wrong, that would be funny as hell but then I would have to listen to you whine all day about a headache" Her friend teased, laughing softly while she squeezed Kagome's cheeks together before having the girl force her off to the side. Yuka stood just an inch shorter than Kagome, her light brown naturally curly hair and big, dark green eyes used to make her friend jealous. Not to mention the form that Yu-Yu (Kagome's affectionate name for her friend) sported was enough to make any guy's mouth drop open. Hell, she earned that hourglass figure to with a lot of dieting. Kagome had once waved a fry in front of her face at Wacdonald's and her friend had nearly bit her finger off!

"Hey, Yu-Yu! I was just thinking, alright?" Kagome explained, brushing her find off while she faked an angry look before a smile formed easily on her features. It never mattered what was bothering her, Yuka had a way of banishing her problems. It was how they had become so close over the past few years and it was nice having someone around which could help her not think about the past.

"Thinkin' about that Inuyasha guy and your old friends?"

Well... Most the time.

Kagome had told Yuka her story about two years before when her friend became very worried about her depression. It had all come out in one long night of junk food and nail painting. She had told the girl about the Feudal Era, Inuyasha, Sango and the others... Everything. Even Naraku and how she had been a reincarnated priestess. At first, she had been sure the other would think her insane and either avoid her or make her a laughing stock at their school. Instead, Yuka had been almost overly understanding, asking inquisitive questions about everything that had happened. It was doubtful she truly believed that the well was magical and once had taken her to a different time but she clearly appreciated a good story. It was nice having someone who knew the story.

"Only a little, for some reason Grandpa reminded me of them" Kagome explained as the two walked their way off towards school. "Maybe he is being all spiritual and spooky, well, he is dead so that is probably his thing- Ow!" Yuka cried out when the other girl smacked her behind the head and gave her a point look. Yu-Yu could be a little blunt and disrespectful when she wasn't thinking about it. However, she had not been so wrong.

As the two walked together, absently talking about different subjects (After all, Kagome was already struggling not to dwell on the subject of the Feudal Era and there was this new guy in class which Yuka had been far too quick to try and claim as her boyfriend) the young ex-priestess's mind suddenly drifted off to the last night she had spent with her grandfather...

 _-She had awoke to find the man in her room, he seemed confused at first and as she reached up to turn on the light his hand had flown out and halted her actions. "No, you must not turn on the light, it will let her know I am here" Her grandpa had stated, sitting at the edge of her bed while Kagome sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. As the man had aged some dementia had settled in and him showing up in her room like this had happened a few times before so it was not too worrisome. However, what he said next had set her on edge._

"Bad winds blow, young priestess, they carry tidings of dark magic which is trying to seek you out" The old man said as he sat there, a bead chain in his hands which had numerous prayer tags hanging off of it.

"What do you mean, Grandpa? Everything is okay, the well hasn't been open for a long time" She had explained but he was having none of it. The man had always believed that the well was still an active portal despite her having shown her entire family multiple times that it was now closed. Hell, once she had nearly broken her legs jumping into it as proof.

"She wants you, Kagome, she is angry and seeks to take your soul" These words had bothered her. Yes, her grandpa was suffering from a rather severe (more severe than any of them had desired to admit) form of dementia but what he said was something the girl couldn't help but take seriously. After all, weird things always happened in her life and she had still been expecting for the well to open back up at some point during this time.

"Who, Grandpa? Who is it?" She had asked him, reaching out and grasping his shoulder lightly. For a brief moment, there was some sort of serious recognition in the man's eyes as he thought about something. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.

"I don't know... She is addling my thoughts, making me tired, I am so tired Kagome..." He stated, hanging his head as the woman sighed before hugging her grandfather close. If only she had known what had been to come... Maybe she would have stayed with him the entire night and settled his mind. She had never told her mother about what he said, it would have only bothered her to know her father had been distressed before his death.-

After his passing, Kagome had been convinced that something was going to happen soon. He had made her promise to keep the seals on the well house, which she had done for the first few years. However, a few months ago her mother had come outside and stopped her. Ever since what had happened, when the well had just shut after her fight with Inuyasha and she had been unable to return, things had been normal. Sora had been convinced that the seals were just her daughter and her father's way of keeping alive a part of their lives which was gone. She had ask Kagome to stop and the girl had, though, she still was prone to sneaking out and placing one or two on the doors and walls.

After all, while she would desire to see Sango or Shippo again. While she would love to go gather herbs with Kaede. Inuyasha was not welcome back in her life. He had made his choice and for once she was going to be strong enough not to go running back and make a fool out of herself. Besides, it had been years and surely he had moved on just like she had. They both had their own lives now and the Shikon No Tama was a thing of the past. She could be normal now, with her family and her friends. Kagome was going to graduate and become someone of worth, granted she had not decided whom she would be but it would be someone which made enough money to take care of her brother and mother.

Little did she know... Well,, actually she should have know... That her story was far from being over and fate was never going to allow her to be normal...

-End Chapter-

((A/N: There we go. I will admit this opening flowed well, it might not be as polished or as perfect as I hoped it to be but I do hope you enjoyed reading it. I will have the second chapter up over the next few days, farm life can be busy and I have a chicken coop to build, haha! Now, a few quick things. This is going to have romance but I will admit that whom she will be with is currently undecided. I can't risk giving any spoilers (True Inuyasha fans will get the basics but there are other bits I have to keep to myself) however, Kagome will run into some of her old friends and allies in the future. Now, this is meant to be more focused on Kagome's strength and a new enemy while will be an OC. However, if anyone has anything to offer idea-wise or any thoughts on what her friends might have done when they moved on, I would love to hear it. Of course, I have some plans but I am always open to changing things up if someone presents me with something I have not thought about. Now, you all have a great day and I look forward to making another chapter soon.~))

Chapter Two: "Bad Winds Blow Again" Preview

-"Ma, please, calm down, it is nothing to get upset about" Kagome stated as she sat off to the side, dripping wet and shivering while Sota placed a towel across her shoulders. The storm had blown up so suddenly that no one had expected it and the game had been washed out in minutes. Perhaps, she needed to get a car soon? But, dammit, those could be expensive.

"You come home and tell me that you hallucinated seeing something at Sota's game and I am not to worry? You are my daughter and you are cursed by some dramatic twist of fate, we both know you never just see things, Kagome, things happen" Sora argued as she worriedly stood at the counter. She was soaked as well, having jumped out of the car as fast as she could but having been unable to avoid the downpour outside.

"My mind just got away from me is all, I wouldn't have told you anything if I had known you would act like this, I probably just dozed off or something" Kagome stated, shaking her head before sighing and then looking down to the table in front of her. What had she seen? Had it just been a trick of the shadows? For a moment... Well, it had seemed like a creature that had looked up at her. She could still remember its blood red eyes. But, that was ridiculous. Why now? It had been years, surely it had been a trick of her mind.

"I do hope so, one of my only comforts in life is knowing you can actually be normal, that you are no longer troubled by the well and the past, I simply couldn't bare to see you be dragged back there after so long" Her mother stated, opening the fridge before reaching in and retrieving a small bottle of sake. Wow, she really was worried. The woman rarely ever drank in front of her kids.

"Ma, the well is closed and things are fine, stop worrying and we will forget this ever happened" Kagome told her, the girl shaking her head as she moved to stand before squeezing some of the water out of her shirt. She would have to help Ma clean up the kitchen floor now, it was covered in water.

"I can only hope you are right, you see... Well,, this morning I went out and took those old tags off of the well house, some of the girls talked to me and I want to paint it" Sora admitted, looking off to the side...


	2. Bad Winds Blow Again

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hi there,, it is so good to see that you decided to read my second chapter. I was so happy to have already gotten a review and it inspired me to go ahead and "Put Pen to Paper" as they might say. Granted, this is a different form of writing but still, it works. My parents are heading out for the day, my dad has a bit of a heart condition they are having to get straightened out. However, this means I will have the next few days to write to my heart's content. Trust me, on a farm one can either write or play video games. There is also fun outside things to do but when the sun goes down that gets all spooky and so, yeah, writing it is. Well, I won't keep you guys any longer. On to chapter two.~))

Chapter Two

Bad Winds Blow Again

School was always the same. She walked to it with Yuka where they discussed all of the latest gossip, her friend's newest male prey and the man of the week that Yu-Yu thought she should be with. Then, they were forced to part ways due to being in different classes and for the rest of the day until school ended Kagome would spend her time in a passive state of trying to learn and drifting off into her own little world. History was such a class where her mind tended to wander, more than once she had accidentally failed a tested by using her actual knowledge of the Feudal Era versus what the present day thought had happened. So, as the teacher droned on our dark eyed heroine simply stared out of the window and started thinking of someone that until this day she could not forget.

Inuyasha.

It had been over four years ago when the demon had shown up at her school and she had seen him through a window just like this. It had been one of the most shocking and yet oddly tender moments she had ever experienced. His long, silver hair and those brilliant golden eyes,, he had been so unique that it wasn't shocking he had come to be her first love. He was strong and at odd times dependable when he wanted to be. But, though it had taken a while these actions of his had been made clear as events that were not necessarily romantic and instead more so acts of control. He had needed her to find the jewel and after a certain point, though he had not spoken it like Kouga, the man had come to believe her his woman.

The day she had caught him with Kikyo once again, her young dream of a happy life with him had been shattered. Back then, Kagome had not been able to see the routine the two of them had. She would catch him and then leave in a fit, Inuyasha would give her a few days to calm down (or sometimes just a few hours) and then the man would show up at her window or just come in her home or do some other outlandish thing. In a way, it had always seemed sweet. Still, deep in her heart something whispered that he had come to search her out because he actually needed her, not her abilities. But, fate had a way of waking someone up.

They had exchanged more heated words than usual. It had been mostly by accident because their fights could always be intense but this time things just had gone flying out of control. Inuyasha shouted about how he had never cared for her (Something she should have known was a lie) and Kagome had screamed that he was a worthless idiot and waste of her time (This was not true as well, mostly). Then she had taken off for the well with Kirara's help and barely an hour later she was back in her time and in her room.

She did not say goodbye to Shippo or thank Sango for slapping Inuyasha over the head with her large, bone weapon. She didn't check on Miroku whom had been oddly quiet and distant the past few days or even stop by Kaede's and try to seek some guidance from her. No,, Kagome had just left and the next day the well had been closed. The day after that it had not opened and never since. Only once had she become hopeful, it had been due to her grandfather's actions.

When the old man had begun to put the seals on the well she had become curious and asked him why. That was when he explained that due to a dream he was being guided by their ancestors to insure the well could not be used again. At first, she had been confused but after a while Kagome had come to understand that perhaps her ancestors believed it was time for her to live her own life away from the Feudal Era and Inuyasha. Maybe the spirits had been the one to seal it?

After all, while they would have missed her hadn't they all moved on? Kagome had learned not to play up her worth to people, that way she would not be disappointed. Miroku and Sango more than likely worked through their differences and got married. Her friends had always promised to look after Shippo and though he had surely missed her he was young and would move on. Kaede had hopefully found someone that had spent time with her. That only left Inuyasha...

She no longer held any anger towards him for his actions. In a way, they had both been naive and stupid. Him, more so, of course But... Had he missed her? Did he just run off with Kikyo and go to hell with her? What had happened to the man she loved so much? Did he even try to get to her or had he been the one to seal the well in the first place? All of these unanswered questions. A way to inhibit her life in some fashion despite them being apart. Was this love or was it just him controlling her like on of the depression therapists had explained?

Kagome was shaken from her thoughts when she realized those around her were beginning to get up and collect their things. Class had ended without her realizing it and once again, however something caught her eyes as she began to collect her things. There was a neatly folded piece of paper on her desk which she reached out and then opened curiously.

"Hello there, Kagome-san, my name it Takanari and I joined your class a little over a month ago, I am sort of shy and did not know how to approach you but I noticed that you tend to drift off during History, here are my notes on the subject and an explanation of what the teacher wanted us to study. I hope it benefits you. ^.^ Also, I would love to eat lunch with you tomorrow if you have the time. I wanna know what you think about when you stare out the window like that."

It was a simple and yet well written note that caused a bright smile to form on her lips. Ever since Hojo had finally learned that their relationship would not work (He had been in her life at simply the wrong time) no other man had really shown much interest and even though Yuka tried to hook her up with every guy which could breath Kagome never felt it was the right time. However, this was both unexpected and somewhat cute.

She glanced up to where Takanari sat, a few desk away from her, only to realize in disappointment that he had already left. However, perhaps it would be fun to spend lunch with him later? Kagome sat there for a few moments, staring at the note with an almost silly smile upon her face before she realized something and then looked up at the clock. Damn it! She had Archery Practice and Sota's soccer game to get to, she had to hurry!

As Kagome emerged from her class at a quick pace she nearly smacked into Yuka whom had been jogging down the hallway as well. "I was just coming to get you" Yu-Yu sang out, hesitating when her friend blew past her and down the stairs to the first floor. "Hey, Kagome! Don't be rude, wait up!" She shouted, charging off after the other. The both of them dodged and weaved through the mass of students all rushing to either simply get home or go to whatever respective club they had that evening. When the both of them emerged out of side door which led down to the Archery Range they were able to catch a breath.

"I think that guy I passed sneezed on me" Yuka complained, rubbing her arm quickly with a shocked and disgusted look on her face as Kagome just rolled her eyes. Hell, this is high school. "That is why I always keep my arms close to my chest when I am dodging people, remember to bob and weave" She explained, adjusting her head band which had been knocked askew by one of the people they had passed before smoothing out her skirt and then starting off down the path which led to their range.

"So, I got a text from Kelly or said she heard from Mai who is facebook friends with Naoto-senpai that a certain very attractive blond new guy in your class placed a love note on your desk" Yuka sang out, following after her with both hands on the straps of her backpack. Gossip always spread quickly around the school, it was almost shocking. "He was just being nice and giving me some notes, here, read it" Kagome told her, tossing the note which she had placed in her skirt pocket to her friend whom quickly opened it and nearly stumbled while reading it over.

"Oh shit, girl, he wants to have lunch with you and he is shy, this is adorable, you so have to do it, you are, right?" Yuka asked with wide eyes, clutching the note to her chest while wistfully looking up at the sky. "Gosh, guys don't do this stuff anymore, I bet he is a real keeper" She stated, spinning around in a circle as the other young woman simply shook her head.

"I might, well, I probably will, at least to thank him for making the notes and such" Kagome said, shrugging her shoulders. The thought of meeting a guy for lunch that was actually interested in her seemed kind of foreign. Sure, Hojo had taken her out numerous times but in a way that had always just felt like they were friends. He could have never known that in truth, her heart had been captured by someone else.

But, now Inuyasha was gone and she had to move on for real.

"I definitely will have lunch with him" She stated resolutely, clutching her hands together for emphasis as a loud clapping suddenly erupted from behind her. "Way to go, girl, I was beginning to worry that you might be a lesbian or something" Yu-Yu told her, giving a thumbs up before Kagome swatted her on the back of the head and then they entered the Archery Range. This was where the real therapy began.

This was the only aspect of her old life that she had kept. It had been so hard, learning how to wield a bow and more than once she had nearly been killed due to her own lack of expertise with the weapon. However, those days were long past. Kagome had started in the Archery club as a way to help cope with having lost her friends and after nearly three years of training she was one of their best. Yuka on the other hand... Well...

"Damn it, the string is messed up again, I pull back like this, right? Look, the arrow went a few feet, ow!" She could hear the tirade that was her friend's usual training session from a few lanes over. Yuka had joined because she wanted to be closer to her, which was nice and yet the girl had little talent where weaponry was concerned. But, she was kept in the club because Yu-Yu had a bit of a knack for being everyone's cheerleader. Getting rid of her would hurt her feelings and she helped boost everyone's morale during competitions.

Kagome stared at the target, her dark brown eyes giving a look of focus and determination. Her mind created a field of battle, small fires spurting up around her and a demon flying swiftly towards her. In these moments, she felt like a hero and right when everything in her body clicked into place she let the arrow fly. It was always when she hit the target that she snapped back to the normal world.

"Wow, Kagome, great shot" One of her fellow club members shouted as Kagome jogged over to retrieve her arrow. She had actually managed to hit the bulls eye, which was a common enough act on her part but something she would always be surprised she could do. After another half hour of practice and a meeting to discuss when their next competition would be the club's activities were called to an end for the day.

"Does it hurt?" She asked, walking with Yuka down the sidewalk and towards the Middle School Soccer Field. "You bet it does, damn thing nearly stabbed my eye out, I still think I am getting better though" Yu-Yu responded as she rubbed her left cheek where a bandage was. She would have been the first person to shoot herself in the head had it not been for a little luck and her arrow not properly being notched. Instead, she just got a good smack to her face by the bow. Maybe it would help her be a little more careful next time?

"I didn't know that the whole Soccer season thing had started, shouldn't it still be a few months?" Her friend questioned, bouncing on the heels of her feet as they walked. "Well, I think it is more of a practice game but I still promised Sota I would go, he likes the support and all" Kagome explained, glancing to the fields before looking back to her friend.

"Well, I would go with you but as you know those bleachers hurt my ass and I also have some shopping to do, your going to meet with us after the game, right?" Yuka asked, hopping up to her friend with an expectant gaze. She was one to pester someone when she wanted them around and Kagome knew better than to back out of their plans. It was both an adorable and a highly annoying trait.

"Yes, I promise, now go, the game is only like a half hour or so, just don't go to Hot Topic without me" Kagome answered, giving a small smile as she nodded her head. "Okay, little miss Punk gonna get her some nice bows or a t-shirt, okay girl, love ya and see ya in a bit, I am going to go catch a ride, my feet are killing me" With that said, Yuka ran off, the both of them waving to each other as they parted ways.

It was strange how different life could become. At one time, her closest friend had been a serious and yet kind Demon Hunter that had been stronger and wiser than her. Sango had been like the big sister she never had. Now, her best friend was someone she had to help guide and someone whom needed HER to be the big sister. In a way, Kagome never knew which role she preferred.

While Yuka listened to her and even pretended to believe that the Feudal Era had been a place she visited (Which, meant a lot due to the only other people knowing were her family) in a way, Kagome could not tell her everything. She could not talk about the past and demons, otherwise after a while her friend's answers became a little patronizing and she might even begin worrying her. Sango, even if born in the present, would have listened to anything. She believed that, even if it wasn't a realistic thought.

It didn't take her long to get to the fields before finding a comfortable spot on the bleachers where she could see a good view of the field. Sota waved to her and she waved back before setting her backpack comfortably on her lap and placing her elbows on it. A small rumbling in the sky above her caught the girl's attention as she glanced upwards. The clouds were darkening, it didn't look too bad but hopefully it would not rain before the game was over.

What caught her attention after this was the young boy her brother spoke to. He had long, black hair and what could have been blue eyes though she could not tell for sure with as far apart as she was from them. They seemed to be close, both nudging and laughing with each other before running out onto the field. Why had he not mentioned this guy before? He didn't look like anyone her brother had brought home before. She would have to ask him about it later.

Sota had grown a lot in the past few years. Her mother said that having his big sister around had been beneficial to him maturing but Kagome knew the truth. Her little brother had been forced to be a man to take care of their only parent and grandfather while she had ran off to a different era. It had taken her a while to realize the pressure this had forced onto him and once she had, his big sister always did the work to show how thankful she was.

Just like how collecting the pieces of the Shikon No Tama had affected her life, choice to do so had affected his. Though, Sota did not seem to hold anything against her. In fact, he seemed to embrace being able to help take care of the family. Which might have been why losing their grandfather had been so hard on him, according to their mother the old man had began teaching him some tricks he knew. Perhaps, just superstitious nonsense but maybe he was smarted than all three of them. After all, anything could have came out of the well while she was gone. That had always been a thought which gave her nightmares during her adventures through time.

Sota had also become very quick, as the game commenced he showed a decent amount of skill with the soccer ball which had her cheering for her little brother. Even though it wasn't a real game, she enjoyed bolstering his confidence and he loved to show off. However, while watching him she learned something about his relationship with his new friend. Despite Sota being a good teammate, he did seem to be favoring this other boy. They would pass the ball between each other and worked well to get it into the goal.

Why had he never mentioned him? Surely, they couldn't be this close after just a few days. She definitely had to ask him about it.

When the game was over, Sota's team had won by a five points. It had been a washout due to him and his friend's teamwork as well as the sheer speed of their team which had trumped the other slightly slower opponents. After everyone had shaken hands and the sport's prayer had been done Kagome made sure to quickly jog over to her brother whom was busy chatting with his new friend.

"Great game, Sota, you were amazing!" She stated, patting his shoulder before noting her brother's sheepish look. He chuckled before quickly shaking off her hand and blushing. "Thanks, Sis, I couldn't have done it without Grey" He explained, stepping back and nudging his friend whom smiled then tossed an arm around Sota's shoulders.

"Hi, you are Kagome, right? He talks about you a lot, weren't you the girl they talk about whom nearly died from all those sicknesses?" Grey questioned, his blue eyes looking up to her curiously before her little brother suddenly thrust his elbow into his stomach lightly. "Hey, man, I told you not to ask her about that, it wasn't as bad as it seemed" Sota informed him, giving the other a strict look.

However, oddly enough a tender look formed in his eyes after that. For a moment, both of the boy's eyes met and Kagome found herself a little shocked. She could have sworn they both blushed lightly!

"Well, I gotta go, you know how the institution is if I am late getting home" Grey explained, releasing his friend and then playfully smacking him behind the head before looking up to her. "It was great to meet you, I can't wait until Sota takes me over to let me try some of your food, I hear you are getting pretty good at it, bye for now, you guys" With that said, he departed and vanished into the throng of people making their way home.

"So, you seem pretty close to that guy" Kagome stated in an off-handed way, giving her brother a look which he instantly returned with a defiant gaze of his own. "Yeah, Grey is cool and we are friends, so what?" He questioned back to her, brushing her off before leading the way off of the field. "Hey, I have no problem with that, I just like knowing what is going on in my little brother's life" She responded, smirking as she shook her head. "Your weird, Kagome" Sota told her, still seeming pumped from the game as he stopped by the bleachers to remove his cleats and put on his normal shoes.

"Tell me something I don't know" Kagome mumbled, looking off to the side before glancing off into the trees which dotted the field's fence line. That was when the breath caught in her throat. Everything around her seemed to freeze as a cold breeze brushed past her. There in the shadows, though it might have been for just a brief moment, the girl could have sworn that something with dark red eyes was looking back at her. However, once she blinked it was gone leaving her confused as to whether it had been a trick of the mind or real.

After all, he mind did mess with her sometimes...

"Hey, Kagome, hurry up or we are going to be soaked!" Sota shouted, drawing her attention back to him as the first few drops of rain suddenly smacked into her shoulders. "Aw, damn it, run!" She ordered, the two of them taking off at a quick sprint. But, alas, the weather can rarely be outrun. What was at first just a few drops and then a gentle rain quickly turned into a torrential downpour which soaked the both of them to the bone before they jumped under an awning at one of the stores which lead to their home.

"Come on, my shoes are soaked, yuck" Sota complained next to her as his sister shivered, glancing up to the sky and noting how dark it was now. What had been normal clouds earlier seemed angry and twisted, like something in heaven was angry. For some reason, it didn't feel right... But, before she could ponder this headlights suddenly drew her attention.

"Kagome, Sota, get in, there is a bad storm arriving!" Sora shouted, drawing the minivan she drove back before suddenly bringing it up onto the sidewalk where both of her children could jump in without being rain on. "Mom, be careful" Kagome admonished her as Sota threw open the back door and jumped in, she instantly followed and was relieved to feel the warm air that their mother already had blowing for them.

"Shush, no one is going to get on to me for taking care of my children, I am so sorry I didn't make your game, Sota, time got away from me while I was having an early dinner" Sora explained, reversing the car before quickly driving them towards the house. "This storm just came out of nowhere, they are saying it is blow off sent from that Hurricane that hit up the coast a few days ago" Their mother explained as her son seemed to automatically locate the food which had been left over from her dinner and then begun to scarf it down.

The drive was quiet for a little while as both Kagome and Sota warmed up while their mother paid attention to the street. People were rushing here and there to try to get home before the storm got any worse. What had been such a pretty day had quickly turned rather bleak as the rain pelted the windshield hard. The warm air chased away the cold that the downpour had left in her body. But, not in her soul.

What she had seen... She could not help but mention it.

"Ma, um, I saw something while I was at Sota's game" Kagome stated in an off-handed manner, feeling awkward and strange after having not discussed such a matter in a long while. Her mother had always been the type to worry over what her daughter experienced that she could not protect her from. It would be hard and honestly, the girl didn't even know if she really had seen anything. Her mind had played tricks on her a few times since her trips through the well had ended.

"Oh? What was it?" Sora sounded optimistic and yet the tone she held also sounded a bit guarded. She knew better than to assume the best and she could read her daughter better than anyone. Though, perhaps it was nothing?

"Well, I have been drifting off a lot today and I just kind of saw something, like, I don't know... A demon?" When Kagome finished explaining what she had seen the minivan gave a sudden jerk which caused everyone it it to jerk against their seat belts. All at once, her family set in on her.

"Woah? A demon? Are you sure? What would it be doing at my game? That is so cool!" Sota stated, leaning over the food which had been on his lap and now coated the floor in front of him. His eyes were wide, ever since the two of them had been attacked years ago he always was so interested in the tales she spun of her experiences with the evil of the Feudal Era.

"Sota, be quiet and clean that up, now, Kagome, darling, are you sure?" Sora asked, her eyes holding a decent amount of worry. They had not realized it but during her trips to a time long ago the family had been unable to live their normal lives. Her daughter was safe at home now and living the life she deserved, no demons and no responsibilities that were forced upon her.

"Well, I don't know, Ma, I mean, I could have seen something but my mind can play tricks on me, you know?" She told her, shrugging her shoulders lightly before looking down and then reaching up to rub her forehead as a sigh escaped her. She should have known better than to tell her family...

For the rest of the ride, everyone was quiet. But, this time it was due to an uncomfortable tensions which filled the van as her bother cleaned up the mess his meal had created and her mother stared worriedly at the road. When they got home, the conversation picked up where it had left off...

-"Ma, please, calm down, it is nothing to get upset about" Kagome stated as she sat off to the side, dripping wet and shivering while Sota placed a towel across her shoulders. The storm had blown up so suddenly that no one had expected it and the game had been washed out in minutes. Perhaps, she needed to get a car soon? But, dammit, those could be expensive.

"You come home and tell me that you hallucinated seeing something at Sota's game and I am not to worry? You are my daughter and you are cursed by some dramatic twist of fate, we both know you never just see things, Kagome, things happen" Sora argued as she worriedly stood at the counter. She was soaked as well, having jumped out of the car as fast as she could but having been unable to avoid the downpour outside.

"My mind just got away from me is all, I wouldn't have told you anything if I had known you would act like this, I probably just dozed off or something" Kagome stated, shaking her head before sighing and then looking down to the table in front of her. What had she seen? Had it just been a trick of the shadows? For a moment... Well, it had seemed like a creature that had looked up at her. She could still remember its blood red eyes. But, that was ridiculous. Why now? It had been years, surely it had been a trick of her mind.

"I do hope so, one of my only comforts in life is knowing you can actually be normal, that you are no longer troubled by the well and the past, I simply couldn't bare to see you be dragged back there after so long" Her mother stated, opening the fridge before reaching in and retrieving a small bottle of sake. Wow, she really was worried. The woman rarely ever drank in front of her kids.

"Ma, the well is closed and things are fine, stop worrying and we will forget this ever happened" Kagome told her, the girl shaking her head as she moved to stand before squeezing some of the water out of her shirt. She would have to help Ma clean up the kitchen floor now, it was covered in water.

"I can only hope you are right, you see... Well,, this morning I went out and took those old tags off of the well house, some of the girls talked to me and I want to paint it" Sora admitted, looking off to the side.

"What? You took off grandpa's seals? Ma! He placed those on there for a reason!" Kagome shouted as she moved to stand, a shocked look in her gaze as she stared at her mother. Sure, the well was closed but those tags had always been a marker of her grandfather. Sure, he had been an overly superstitious old man but that activity had been one of the last the she had joined him for.

"Now, Kagome, calm down dear, it was time we took those things down and, besides, I didn't take them all off, when I noticed the rain starting to come I went out to pick you and your brother up" Her mother stated in response, holding up her hands as she looked to her pleadingly while he daughter brushed past to look out the window.

As if on cue, the last tag which had been hanging on the doors of the well house tumbled away in the wind as her eyes widened in shock and sadness before she looked down and placed a hand against her chest. Sure, the demon might have been a hallucination but those markers had always made her feel safe in some way. They had locked away a world so she could forget about it and move on. Her mother didn't understand the weight she had just forced upon her heart.

"Dear, I am so sorry, I just noticed your brother would go over and seem sad when he looked at them so I thought it was time, you say it yourself that the well is closed, why keep those seals on it? Besides, your grandfather had no real power" Her mother tried to comfort her, coming up behind Kagome and placing a hand on her shoulder before the girl suddenly pulled away.

"I am going to bed, Mom, I am tired" She told her, quickly making her way out of the kitchen as she kept her head down. "Kagome, darling, I am so sorry, please don't go" Sora said, following after her before stopping at the bottom of the staircase and staring after her sadly. She had not meant to hurt her, she simply wanted to help her daughter move on and forget things.

As she entered her room Kagome had to struggle to keep from slamming the door. It did not take long for her to change out of her wet clothes and into some comfortable pajamas before she crawled onto the bed and looked up to the storm which was pelting her window with drops of rain.

She didn't know why she felt so angry and sad but those seals in some way had always helped her to think the Feudal Era really was behind her. Her grandfather had placed those markers to comfort her after some terrible nightmares of demons emerging and coming after her and her family. He had done it to comfort his grand daughter and he had shown her how to make them. It didn't matter if they held no real power, wasn't the strength of them supposed to be the belief one held in their prayers?

As she laid there, not realizing that tears had begun to drip down her cheeks, Kagome closed her eyes and snuggled into her pillow. It was early to sleep and yet somehow... She was out like a light just moments later.

-End Chapter-

((A/N: Well, that chapter emerged a lot faster than I thought it would. I hope you all enjoyed it. I am beginning to really see in what direction this story will go and it is manifesting well. Now, I would like to hear an opinion on an undecided choice I have been thinking of. So, Sota's sexuality. For some reason, I just felt that in this plot line IU would play him into possibly being gay. I hope this doesn't offend any of my readers, I have a very open mind and with some of the plans I have coming up I might eventually have a pairing for him. Does this sound okay? Anyways, I will let you all go for now and I will see you in chapter three. My dog just stole my food so I have to chase her down, haha.~))

Chapter Two: Spiritual Awakening, Preview:

Her ankles were hurting so badly, the pain from the black claws digging into her flesh radiated and held her in place as she cried out. Kagome struggled against what held her there before suddenly something emerged out of the shadows which surrounded her. A shocked gasp came from the young priestess as she stared at the silver haired man, held there by chains across from her.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha!?" She shouted in shock, struggling to reach out to him through the darkness but the unrelenting claws held her where she stood just a few feet away from touching him. The man took no notice of her, in fact, he did not react at all and simply hung there. His kimono was torn and deep scratches marked his body, his hair was matted with blood and she could not tell if he was breathing.

Panic erupted from her very soul as she reached down, grabbing the cold, sharp fingers which were making her ankles bleed. She had to get to him, for once, she wanted to be free! She wouldn't be the damsel in distress, not the victim. Inuyasha needed her! He needed her!

'Focus, Kagome... Focus! You have the power within you, wield it!' A voice echoed, it was hard for her to tell if it was in her mind or around her as Kagome glanced up. Out of the dark abyss around them only the single candle light which floated between her and Inuyasha illuminated anything. Every else just seemed to be a dark mass which seeked to swallow them both.

"I-I can't!" She cried, tugging at the claws which, in return just dug deeper into her flesh causing the young woman to scream in pain and frustration. 'You can! You always have been able to, reach deep into your heart and believe in yourself, pull the power from your very soul!' The voice ordered her. It was hard to tell whether it was male or female, old or young...

After a moment, Kagome forced herself to calm down before she closed her eyes. Somewhere deep inside she could feel a warmth, a ball of power in which she had tried to access before but never been able to. She reached deep within her soul, begging what power she had to come out so she could reach across the abyss to the man whom she had missed so much. Someone she had thought to never see again.

It wasn't just about Inuyasha. Yeah, he had been a dick but he had still saved her many times. But, he held the key for her to get back to her friends, to see them again and embrace the life she truly wanted. Being normal was good but she wanted to be with them! She wanted to be the priestess whom could find the rest of the Shikon No Tama if it had not already been put back together!.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, a determination welled up into her soul before she reached deep down into herself. That was when it happened... When her power finally came forth...


	3. Spiritual Awakening

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hello there, everyone, I hope your day is going better than mine. A headache and a lot of cleaning to do mixed with the inability to stop sneezing has me in an appropriately foul mood. But, no worries, I decided to engage in the art of writing to relax my mind before setting forth to get the area clean for a new dryer. So, yay, new dryer. Anywho, I am enjoying how easily this story is flowing and I do plan on it being a long one so I hope a few of you stick around for the long haul. It is going to get good, we have barely bridged the surface, hehe, here we go.~))

Chapter Three

Spiritual Awakening

She was floating. On some subconscious level she registered this before opening her eyes, however, for a moment she was unsure if she actually had awoke. All around her, there was darkness. A deep, almost tangible shadow which wrapped all around her. The only light seemed to emit from her own form as the young woman slowly leaned upwards. Her body moved with this action and a second later she was just floating there, her eyes wide with shock.

What was going on?

As Kagome looked around, trying to orient herself to her surroundings and discover whether she needed to be panicking or not, a sudden flash of fire caused her to give a start. Out of the darkness a small candle light appeared. At first, it was just the flame itself, however after a moment her perceptive gaze caught onto what the light illuminated. She could see the outline of a stone wall. The fire gave off just enough for her to register that there was more to this darkness than just a void. She was in an area but something or someone was keeping her from seeing it.

"H-Hello?" It had been such a long time since she had experienced something like this. Was it a bad dream or had something grabbed her during the night and dragged her here? No, it must have been some sort of strange dream brought on by the stress life had been placing on her lately. But, if that was true then why could she not wake up? Something deep within her whispered that speaking might not be the best maneuver until she discovered what the hell was happening.

The rattle of chains caught her attention, Kagome glancing up as she tried to reach out into the darkness to steady herself. As her hands vanished into the shadows for a moment a sharp cry escaped her before she quickly brought them to her chest. The darkness had burned her in some strange way, almost like it was miasma which surrounded her. But, that was impossible, Naraku had been dealt with. Wait, she couldn't think like that! This was just a dream.

Out of worry that the rest of the void might hurt her she had made a move to step closer to the flame, finding comfort in that being her only protecting from the shadows. Yet, she was denied this as suddenly from the abyss around her two clawed hands shot up and grasped her ankles. A loud cry of shock escaped her as she struggled to get away from them but their steely grip held the girl steadfastly in place.

"Let me go!" She demanded, reaching down and trying to tug against the sharp fingers which held her in place. The strength was unreal and yet the lack of realism whispered that whatever held her there wasn't a real demon. The hands were too... Cold. It was like actual iron around her. She might not have known much about the demons she had faced but Kagome had been close enough to them to register a few things. Something told her this was a device holding her in place and not a creature.

Her ankles were hurting so badly, the pain from the black claws digging into her flesh radiated and held her in place as she cried out. Kagome struggled against what held her there before suddenly something emerged out of the shadows which surrounded her. A shocked gasp came from the young priestess as she stared at the silver haired man, held there by chains across from her.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha!?" She shouted in shock, struggling to reach out to him through the darkness but the unrelenting claws held her where she stood just a few feet away from touching him. The man took no notice of her, in fact, he did not react at all and simply hung there. His kimono was torn and deep scratches marked his body, his hair was matted with blood and she could not tell if he was breathing.

Panic erupted from her very soul as she reached down, grabbing the cold, sharp fingers which were making her ankles bleed. She had to get to him, for once, she wanted to be free! She wouldn't be the damsel in distress, not the victim. Inuyasha needed her! He needed her!

'Focus, Kagome... Focus! You have the power within you, wield it!' A voice echoed, it was hard for her to tell if it was in her mind or around her as Kagome glanced up. Out of the dark abyss around them only the single candle light which floated between her and Inuyasha illuminated anything. Every else just seemed to be a dark mass which seeked to swallow them both.

"I-I can't!" She cried, tugging at the claws which, in return just dug deeper into her flesh causing the young woman to scream in pain and frustration. 'You can! You always have been able to, reach deep into your heart and believe in yourself, pull the power from your very soul!' The voice ordered her. It was hard to tell whether it was male or female, old or young...

After a moment, Kagome forced herself to calm down before she closed her eyes. Somewhere deep inside she could feel a warmth, a ball of power in which she had tried to access before but never been able to. She reached deep within her soul, begging what power she had to come out so she could reach across the abyss to the man whom she had missed so much. Someone she had thought to never see again.

It wasn't just about Inuyasha. Yeah, he had been a dick but he had still saved her many times. But, he held the key for her to get back to her friends, to see them again and embrace the life she truly wanted. Being normal was good but she wanted to be with them! She wanted to be the priestess whom could find the rest of the Shikon No Tama if it had not already been put back together!.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. Then, a determination welled up into her soul before she reached deep down into herself. That was when it happened... When her power finally came forth..

It was an explosion of energy, light blue in color which erupted out of her body and spun around the room. The rush of power was almost deafening in sound and yet somewhere, she could have sworn someone had cried out in shock but had that possibly just been her? After a moment more, the area around her was suddenly illuminated revealing that she was in some stone under croft.

Kagome's body shook for a moment as she landed on her feet, wobbling for a second before clutching her stomach and whimpering softly. She had never been able to do that before but as the young priestess glanced up around her to the balls of power which now effectively banished the dark abyss from the room so she could properly see... She had done this. But, how? When she had barely ever been able to control her priestess powers before.

But, this did not matter right now. Her mind registered that Inuyasha was still across from her and she didn't hesitate before rushing over to him. The chains held him up off the floor, leaving dark red, bloody marks on his wrists and ankles. Even when she reached up to touch him, his skin was cold while she placed her hands on both of his cheeks. "Inuyasha? Wake up? Are you real? Tell me where we are" She begged, trying to properly reach him. As if sensing what the priestess wanted a moment later she levitated upwards which was startling and yet not something which shocked her right now.

He was here, she was back! But... How? How had this happened? Where were they? There were too many questions and not enough answers.

"The tales I have heard about you must have been lies, you devil, more powerful than I thought, I won't let the foretold ones unite, begone!" A new voice, this one gravely and deep rumbled out as she glanced up. A moment later, Inuyasha was pulled from her grasp as she was suddenly sent flying backwards. "No! Inuyasha!" She cried, feeling the air around her rush faster and faster. The orbs of power she had created struck out at her scenery and once again, she heard a surprised scream. A scream which grew louder and louder until...

"Kagome! Dear, wake up, you are having a nightmare!" Her mother's voice reached her as the young woman's eyes flew open. She had been hearing her own screams and was being shook by her mother whom looked down at her in shock and worry. Sota stood at the end of the bed, clutching it and mirroring their mother's look as Kagome panted and then glanced around the area.

She was back in her room, the morning sun filtering through the window, though the light was dull and marred by the dark grey clouds which signaled that the storm which had hit last night had not fully made its departure. "Ma?" She asked, confused for a few seconds as she noticed her hands were shaking and she was covered in a cold sweat. So... It had been a dream. Just... A dream?

"Yes, darling, it is me, ssh, you are okay now, it was just a bad dream" Sora comforted her daughter, hugging her close as she glanced to her son whom had been just as frightened as her. Kagome's screams had sounded down right horrifying and she had half expected to find a demon in the room attacking her eldest. Alas, it had just been a nightmare and this was not the first.

"Go get your sister a warm rag to place on her forehead" She ordered, patting her daughter on the back as the young woman collected her thoughts. The Feudal Era had left its scars on her and even after all these years it seemed like that time was not ready to let her go.

It all had seemed so real and yet, Kagome knew better. These dreams had came and gone over the years, she couldn't take them seriously. However, it was so real! She could steel feel the stone under her feet, the cold feeling of Inuyasha's clammy cheeks and the pain in her ankles. Her ankles! The girl suddenly pulled away from her mother, tossing the covers aside before looking down in shock.

There, on her flesh was not a single mark. She could feel pain radiating from where the claws had grabbed her in her dream and she clearly remembered seeing where they had drawn blood from her. Yet, in the waking world there was not a mark on her and this just served to confuse her more. Was her mind struggling to try and create something where there was nothing? She had experienced these highly vivid dreams before.

"You were shouting his name" Sora admitted, suddenly pressing a warm rag to her dauighter's clammy forehead before leaning back with a sigh. How much had the girl said in her sleep? "I thought these dreams had finally finished plaguing you but now they have returned, just like with your hallucination the other day" Her mother explained, placing her hands in her lap while looking at the young woman worriedly.

"Yeah, Sis, you were shouting about needing to help him and then you started screaming, ya kinda scared us both" Sota stated. standing at the end of her bed once more. It took her a moment before she took note of the tired look in his eyes. Had she kept them awake? How long had she been struggling with her dream?

"It is okay, Ma, Sota... I just had a really bad dream" Kagome explained, looking down at her hands for a moment before sighing softly and shaking her head. It had felt so real and the Feudal Era had always taught her that frightening experiences like that were something to pay attention to. Yet, she was in the modern world now. There were no demons and there was no reason to be afraid.

Because... Inuyasha wasn't here. He was gone and she couldn't frighten her mother by claiming that he was. It had been a dream. It was just... A dream.

Her mother stared at her for a few moments, almost as if the woman could see through her facade and somehow knew that her daughter was struggling to determine if her experience had been real or not. "Okay, why don't you rest for the day? You don't look well and the weather outside might make you just feel worse, I will call your school" Sora explained, nodding her head as she moved to stand.

"But, Ma, we both know the principal will say something" Kagome stated worriedly as her mother just simply brushed her off. "Don't you worry about that, it has been years since your grandfather's stories of your health, they won't hold one sick day against you, now rest and I will bring you up something warm to eat in a moment" Sora explained, walking out the door.

"Phew, well, I don't know about you but your screaming reminded me of that slasher flick I watched a few days ago, I can't possibly go to school and- Ah! Mom!" Sota's ear was suddenly grabbed by his mother before she pulled him from the room. It seemed that where his sister would be getting a day off, he would not be so lucky. Though, maybe he was indeed lucky before it was doubtful she would get any rest at all today. He would probably just sleep through a few classes.

Kagome laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, her dark brown eyes clouded with worry and confusion. Her mother was right, it had been a long time since the dreams had truly bothered her. The memories were usually what messed with her mind and yet now even the sleeping world was not a place she could take proper refuge. Was she just going mad because some deep part of her could not cope with what was happening?

But, what was this determination inside of her? It was as if something deep down was whispering that she should follow her instincts. That was when the thought of the well came to her. She sat up and then glanced out her window and down the the well house. The last of her grandfather's protection seals lie on the ground in front of it. Almost like some sort of statement was being made.

Maybe it was not a coincidence that something like this had happened after her mother had removed the seals? There was only one way to find out.

Despite feeling rather draggy, Kagome still pulled herself up and went into her bathroom. Fifteen minutes later she emerged feeling somewhat better after having the warm water relax and reinvigorate her tired form. She pulled on a long sleeved cream colored sweater and a pair of black jeans before starting off down the stairs. She glanced down to the kitchen and saw that her mother was still cooking their breakfast while Sota got ready. It would be wise not to bother her otherwise she would just tell her to rest and ask where she had been going.

She slowly pushed open the front door before exiting out and then quickly feeling the cold chill of the wind. The temperature had dropped due to the storm and the clouds above looked like at any moment they would create another downpour. But, that did not bother her right now. There was only one thing on her mind and she was focused on investigating it.

It only took a quick jog before Kagome had come around the house and was now standing in front of the well house, her gaze giving a determined look to the large wooden doors. There was a latch which had been placed on them, a form of extra protection which luckily her mother did not keep a padlock on. "Okay, here is the deal, if I do this and nothing happens then I will just forget all about this crap and go on with my life, this is the last time, I promise" She spoke, more so to herself than anyone else as she reached up and then opened the latch before struggling to pull the door back.

Inside it was revealed just how long it had been since anyone had gone inside. There were spider webs and a thick layer of dirt and grime on the stairs as she entered slowly. The wood of the stairs was beginning to rot and it creaked beneath her offering a rather creepy sound to go with the dank atmosphere. In the middle of the room was the well, a small wall of ivy growing out of it. Her mother had planted it there, the roots were strong enough that if she had ever fallen in and been unable to go through the portal then she could have pulled herself out.

Approaching the well was an almost surreal experience. She flashed back to being younger, how easy it had been to just run back and forth. What might have seemed so shocking to many had become a normal factor in her life, going to a different time and fighting alongside demons and priests and hunters... As her hands touched the cold stone she had to pause before looking over the edge.

The darkness within the well was similar to the abyss which had threatened to swallow her up in her dream. It just seemed different now, like that if she dropped in something would grab her before she hit the bottom. Of course, hitting the ground at the end of the well could be painful so maybe this thought was not as bad as she considered.

"You know if mom catches you in here she will freak out, right?" Her brother's voice startled her as Kagome whirled around, looking to him now as he stood in his school uniform looking in at her. "I knew you would come down here after your dream, you always used to when you had them" He explained, stepping in before jogging over to the well and looking down it too.

"I bet your wondering if the portal is opened, am I right? Well, I don't think it is wise to just jump in there, remember how long it took for your ankle to heal the last time you hit the bottom? You complained about it for weeks" He seemed to be trying to cheer her up in a way as she just simply nodded her head before looking down into it with him.

"I wasn't going to jump, I just had to see it, I guess I would feel if the portal was open, you know? Besides, if I got hurt again mom might try to do something stupid like seal the entrance permanently" Kagome told him, leaning over the edge lightly. It would be just so easy to jump in though. To experience the wind rushing past her and experience that hope she had once felt that a light would envelop her and take her where she truly wanted to go.

"You really want to go back, don't you?" Sota asked, drawing her attention back up to him. He had an almost sad expression on his face before he offered a small smile. "Well... Yeah, I do" It was hard for her to admit because in a way she knew it hurt him. They had grown so close with her actually being home to help take care of him and their mother. But, the Feudal Era in some strange way had always truly felt like her home. She might have been some Priestess's Reincarnation but it was still her home.

They were both quiet for a few moments, the siblings simply staring into the darkness as if expecting to see something before they both glanced to each other and nodded their head then pulled away. "Come on, we don't want Ma to catch us out her" Kagome told him, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder while leading her little brother out.

"If it counts for anything, I really hope you get to go back some day, I wouldn't mind you showing me around the place, haha" Sota's cheery personality had returned and it caused a smile to form on her face as she nodded her head and then moved to shut the door to the well house with him. He always knew how to make her feel better and he had kept her from doing something stupid. Maybe it actually was time to put a lock on the doors to this place.

However, as the doors closed suddenly two clawed hands gripped the lip of the well before a head appeared. The creature's dark purple scales rippled as it hissed softly while glaring at the entry. If only she had jumped in...

\- That Night -

Kagome had been able to relax for most of the day and even caught up on the sleep which her dream had deprived her of. When she awoke, the sun had come down and she could hear a multitude of voices from the first floor as she yawned and then adjusted herself and fixed her hair then quickly proceeded to go down the stairs.

In the Living Room sat her Mother, Brother, His Friend Grey and Yuka all enjoying a sushi platter.

"Damn, this tastes good Yu-Yu, ya gotta bring this stuff more often" Sota commented before his mother swiftly smacked him behind the head causing him to almost spit out the Sashimi which he had placed into his mouth. "Young man, watch your language or I will send you to your room with rice porridge for the rest of the night" Sora scolded while sitting back and glancing to the television. It seemed as if she wasn't eating anything.

"Aw, thanks So-So, I am glad you like it, I got it from that new place downtown that everyone has been talking about" Yuka mentioned, eating a small bowl of fried rice and glancing to the television as well. A game show called "Keisuke's Krazy Challenge" was on. "Hey, don't call me So-So!" Sota shouted, pointing his chopsticks at her as the young woman mimicked and did the same towards him.

"Watch yourself little boy, I get called Yu-Yu so I can call you So-So, unless you want me to come up with something worse because trust me, I can, I am a Libra" She told him, the both of them having a stare off while Grey simply sat quietly to the side enjoying his plate of Salmon and Yellowtail. It seemed like such a comfortable scene and it made Kagome wonder honestly why had she been so hopeful that the well would be open earlier. This was her home now.

"Oh, there she is, finally awake, Kagome, come down here and eat, your friend brought over your school work and a lot of food for you all to enjoy" Sora said upon noticing that her daughter stood in the stairwell. She quickly patted the seat on the futon next to her before the girl moved to join the rest of her family and friends.

"I figured you would like some good sushi to cheer you up after not feeling well, your mom told me how you had another bad dream about you know who" Yuka stated, nodding her head before glancing to the fifth person in the room. Grey gave them a speculative look before shrugging and then taking another bite of his food. "Soccer practice got called off early due to the rain and Ms. Higurashi asked me if I wanted to come over, hey, ya'll have food and Sota wants to try and beat the next level of sports games on the Wii" He explained, nudging his friend who sat besides him before smiling.

"Yeah, we hafta man, I just suck at the fricking bowling levels" Sota commented before placing some of the sea urchin on his friend's plate. "That is your favorite, right?" He asked, grinning as the other nodded his head and returned the smile. Gosh, she so had to ask him what was going on with the two of them!.

"I am okay now but thanks for bringing me my school work, what is everyone up to?" Kagome asked, situating herself comfortably as her mother handed her a plate of sushi and fried rice while she broke her chopsticks and begun eating. Gosh! she had no idea how hungry she had actually been. After barely touching breakfast and sleeping through lunch though it was rather understandable.

"Well, I was just visiting with them and waiting for you to wake up, I am going out to meet some of the girls and we are going to have dinner at Kado before going to a Karaoke Bar" Sora stated proudly, giving an excited smile. That was when her daughter realized how nicely she was dressed. It seemed that her mother was getting more and more used to the social life.

"Since your up and looking better I might just stay the night too, we totally have to talk about Takanari, do you know he asked about you?" Yuka clearly swooned as she said this, leaning over her plate of food before crying out when some of it got on her shirt. The two boys laughed in response to this before she tried to swat at them with her hands and they dodged away.

It was rather comforting, this nice atmosphere after such a mentally trying morning. This is what made her glad for her family and friends. It would be nice having Yu-Yu stay the night, she often invited herself though this did not seem to bother her mother at all. In fact, Sora seemed to enjoy having another few kids around. In a way, she always wondered if the woman had wanted more children and only been given two.

"Now, I won't be gone for long and there are leftovers in the fridge if you get really hungry tonight, Kagome, I know how it is when you skip eating" Her mother instructed before moving to stand as headlights shown through the living room window. "That must be the girls, you all be good and I will be back a little late, if you need me you know my cell number" Their mother had been the only one allowed to have a phone after both daughter and son had nearly made them go bankrupt in the first three months of owning their phones.

Sora kissed both Kagome's and Sota's forehead before doubling around and doing the same for both Yuka and Grey. It seemed that she was quickly coming to embrace the two, had she met Sota's friend before? Surely her little brother would not talk to their mother before her! "You all be good and have fun" She called out, waving before opening her umbrella and then running out the front door. It was nice to see her so happy.

"Well, since mom is gone we can now take our food to my room and get started on the games, see ya sis and Yu-Yu!" Sota stated, moving to stand quickly with his plate of food. Grey quickly mimicked the same and both boys threw more sushi and fried rice onto their platters before turning and rushing up the stairs. It seemed that visiting was not on their agenda for the day but, eh, they were young.

"Who is that kid?" Yuka asked, glancing to Kagome whom just shrugged in respond before the two sat back and turned up the television, flipping the channel to the Bachelor which was a rerun. "So, yeah, Taka-kun is totally into you, the guy walks up to me and with the most adorably worried eyes he looks at me and asks how you are doing, oh, Kagome, you so have to give this guy a chance, he is a frickin' doll" Yu-Yu told her, swooning once more, though this time she was mindful of her food.

"Yeah, you know what? I probably will, I mean, I hear he is nice and he probably doesn't have many friends since he is new to school and all" The young priestess admitted, grinning before popping another piece of sashimi into her mouth. It did not matter that this felt like she was cheating on Inuyasha, he had been out of her life and that dream had just been some strange guilty conscience trying to get to her.

"I don't mean friends, you better not puss out on this, girl, you let someone like him go and I will smack you into next week" Yuka warned, reaching across the table to her as Kagome laughed happily before dodging out of the way. She had her brother's reflexes or perhaps he had hers. This was the perfect night.

She should have known better...

In the well house, the claws appeared once again before a creature appeared. Its dark purple skin, blood red eyes and slight curved head came out of the opening of the well first before an overly elongated body and arms longer than its height with unnaturally small legs appeared and it hoisted itself out. "You know what to do, make it quick and bloody, kill everyone if you have to but the priestess must die" The voice from Kagome's dream whispered in its gravelly tone as the creature, most likely a demon, nodded its head in response.

There would be blood tonight...

End Chapter

((A/N: Oh, I love a decent cliffhanger. What do you think will happen? I am so curious myself as to what plans might take place in chapter four. I hope you all are still enjoying it and I do hope this pace is steady enough to keep you interested. Would you like to know a little more about me before I go? Well, I started writing at nine years old and I was definitely far from the best. Oh crap! I have to go grocery shopping, oh well, we can continue this later. I will see you all in Chapter four, ta for now.~))

Chapter Four: There will be blood, Preview:

-"Yo, Kagome, why is the electricity off?" Sota shouted from upstairs as him and Grey emerged from his room, his friends wielding a cellphone that apparently had a flash light app. They both looked rather disheveled which was something she would have asked about had it not been for it being so dark she couldn't actually properly see them. It could have just been her imagination.

"It is probably just the storm, it might have knocked down a power line or something, you guys be careful" Kagome stated, feeling across the wall to the under croft of the stairs where the fuse box was. "Damn girl, this is spooky" Yuka stated from behind her, holding onto her friend's shoulders for dear life as the two made their way to where the door was beneath the stairs.

Kagome had been in worse situations then this but it had been a while and something about the darkness unnerved her. It was almost like her dream, she opened her eyes and there was darkness. But, it was hopefully just a coincidence. She forced herself to believe this while opening the door and leaning into the storage area slash fuse box room. It took her a moment as she felt before grabbing the main breaker and then flipping it off and on again.

Nothing happened...

"Dammit, it figures that I invite a friend over and all of this happens, sorry man" Sota complained, the two of them having reached the bottom of the stairs easily since they were the only ones with a light. "It is okay, you guys can't be the only ones with the lights off" Grey answered simply, though his voice held the same tone of unease that Yuka's did.

Kagome sighed before reaching down and feeling along the floor, finally grasping a piece of elongated metal and then hitting the button on it. The long, metal flashlight lit up as she moved the bright beam across the room and glanced to the other three. There was a bright flash of lighting and then a sudden loud boom of thunder which cause all four of them to jump. A second later, they were standing considerably closer together.

"Something is wrong here" She stated softly, Sota sharing a look with her before nodding his head. That was when she noticed that the street light outside the house was still on. However, a second later and it was suddenly out as well. Something was turning off the lights!

A second later, the sound of glass breaking and wood splintering sounded from the kitchen before she was knocked down along with Yuka, the two of them sprawling out onto the floor. "Priestess of the Shikon No Tama! Meet your doom!" A deep voice screamed through the house as the boys both jumped back, Sota standing in front of Grey as they both stared in shock down the hallway which led into the kitchen.

As Kagome rolled back, pushing a small piece of debris off of her which had been their kitchen table she was brought face to face with what only could be called a demon. This was not a dream... There were about to die...


	4. There Will Be Blood

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hi there. I hope you are having a good day! Phew, I just finished getting the stuff together to build a chicken coop and practicing for my GED tests which I have coming up this Thursday. To tell the truth, between you and I, I feel a little apprehensive. But, I am sure I will do okay, at least, I hope. ^.^ Also, apologies for my hurried end in the last chapter, I had to suddenly go out and do the weekly grocery shopping. Anywho, I won't keep you up. Oh, wait, there was a review that I was going to respond to. Oh dear, I have forgotten the name, I am so sorry. But, in reference to Sota's sexuality. It is yet undecided and I am seeing where the characters go. So, he could be gay or he might not be, it all depends. Well, there is that explained. On with the story.~))

Chapter Four

There Will Be Blood

This episode of the bachelor was proving to be rather boring as Kagome sat next to Yuka now. The both of them were on a leather couch her mother had purchased when it was on sell. She was painting her fingernails while her friend did her toe nails. When the television had proved uninteresting the two had turned to a more lively topic concerning their classmates and the boys they were both interested in.

Yu-Yu was always prone to gossip of all forms and enjoyed being the one to the convey what she knew to someone else. While Kagome saw no real worth in this it was sometimes interesting to hear the latest news involving their friends and the people they didn't necessarily like. Perhaps, this was due to the high levels of trashy shows she took in as of late? Perhaps it would be better if she cut down on it.

"I could believe it but it seems that Misa-chan is back after him again despite him being more focused on Kendo classes, can you believe that? I don't know whether to tell her she is obsessing or to tell him to pay a little attention to her, after all, he isn't even that good at Kendo" Her friend explained while eating what was left of the sushi platter she had brought. Food never did tend to stick around the Higurashi household long. Well... Unless that was some of the leftovers her mother stocked away. Certain plates of that, uhm, "Food" tended to just stay in the fridge until getting thrown out almost a month later.

Something was bothering her thought. It was like an itching feeling in her brain which spread to her skin and placed her on edge. She kept telling herself that it must be the dream she had and yet that just didn't relax her. It was as every old sense within her was saying "Bad! Bad Juju! Bad Feeling!". But, she had given into these feelings before and nothing had come of it.

She was desperately trying to cling to a normal life and her sanity. Giving into the belief that something more was still out there would eventually destroy her mentally if she let it.

Inuyasha had gone with Kikyo most likely. She had either dragged him to hell or he had figured out some way, most likely by using the completed Shikon No Tama to revive her and they were living a happy life. Kagome refused to feel bad about not worrying about him or wanting to think about him. Yet, wasn't she already doing that? He had been the one to break her heart and treat her like trash and yet she was the one whom always needed him. She wanted to stand on her own, with him she would always be some damsel needing saving and she wanted to stand on her own two feet dammit!.

Well, fate was going to give her the chance to do so in a more severe way than she could have ever realized.

"Now, I don't usually stick with that whole Fashion Police crap but Tina-san knew that I just bought that skirt and just had to wear it the same day I did and- Oh!" Yuka shouted out in surprise, her conversation about the two skirts ending, when the lights in the house suddenly cut out and bathed them all in a pitch black abyss which instantly had Kagome gripping the edge of the couch.

There was a loud "Bam!" which sounded from above them before muffled cursing reached their ears. Clearly one of the boys had fallen down and the other was helping him up. "Everybody be careful and calm, don't hurt yourself" Kagome called out as she slowly moved to stand and then mentally berated her mother whom never allowed her a cellphone. There were apps for this sort of thing. Now, where was the flash light? Under the stairs next to the breaker. Now she just had to make it there.

"Don't leave me" Yuka whispered, gripping onto her friend's waist to life herself up before looking around the room. The house was just dully lit by the streetlight outside and the lightning which flashed at random intervals outside. It gave the usually comfortable home a very off putting feeling which had her clinging to Kagome for dear life.

-"Yo, Kagome, why is the electricity off?" Sota shouted from upstairs as him and Grey emerged from his room, his friend wielding a cellphone that apparently had a flash light app. They both looked rather disheveled which was something she would have asked about had it not been for it being so dark she couldn't actually properly see them. It could have just been her imagination.

"It is probably just the storm, it might have knocked down a power line or something, you guys be careful" Kagome stated, feeling across the wall to the under croft of the stairs where the fuse box was. "Damn girl, this is spooky" Yuka stated from behind her, holding onto her friend's shoulders for dear life as the two made their way to where the door was beneath the stairs.

Kagome had been in worse situations then this but it had been a while and something about the darkness unnerved her. It was almost like her dream, she opened her eyes and there was darkness. But, it was hopefully just a coincidence. She forced herself to believe this while opening the door and leaning into the storage area slash fuse box room. It took her a moment as she felt before grabbing the main breaker and then flipping it off and on again.

Nothing happened...

"Dammit, it figures that I invite a friend over and all of this happens, sorry man" Sota complained, the two of them having reached the bottom of the stairs easily since they were the only ones with a light. "It is okay, you guys can't be the only ones with the lights off" Grey answered simply, though his voice held the same tone of unease that Yuka's did.

Kagome sighed before reaching down and feeling along the floor, finally grasping a piece of elongated metal and then hitting the button on it. The long, metal flashlight lit up as she moved the bright beam across the room and glanced to the other three. There was a bright flash of lighting and then a sudden loud boom of thunder which cause all four of them to jump. A second later, they were standing considerably closer together.

"Something is wrong here" She stated softly, Sota sharing a look with her before nodding his head. That was when she noticed that the street light outside the house was still on. However, a second later and it was suddenly out as well. Something was turning off the lights!

A second later, the sound of glass breaking and wood splintering sounded from the kitchen before she was knocked down along with Yuka, the two of them sprawling out onto the floor. "Priestess of the Shikon No Tama! Meet your doom!" A deep voice screamed through the house as the boys both jumped back, Sota standing in front of Grey as they both stared in shock down the hallway which led into the kitchen.

As Kagome rolled back, pushing a small piece of debris off of her which had been their kitchen table she was brought face to face with what only could be called a demon. This was not a dream... There were about to die... Unless she did something quick.

Using the only weapon she had at her disposal, she swung the flash light at the demon, catching it on its jaw and causing its head to slam into the stairs. Briefly, she noticed the bright blue glow which had emitted from her weapon of choice as she quickly crawled back and then pulled herself up. "Yuka, get up! Go upstairs, all of you!" She ordered, taking the flash light and once more bashing her enemy over the head with it. Once again, there was another brilliant flash of dull blue light. It had not been a dream, her powers were being very active.

"You heard her, come on!" Sota shouted, reaching out and grabbing Yuka by the shoulder before hoisting her up onto the stairs. However, the demon had different ideas about how this was all going to go down. "Shin Dai does not allow prey once seen to escape!" It exclaimed and with a swipe of its long tail effectively knocked in the upper banister to keep the three others from moving forward.

This was bad, really bad. How long had it been since her last fight with a demon? Sure, for some reason her priestess powers were being helpful but it was doubtful that another smack to the head would work. This proved to be the truth as Kagome swung at him one more time only for the demon to dodged under her strike and then attempt to bite her arm!

"Front door!" She ordered, backing up slowly and continuing her swings. The small blasts of power the tip of the flash light was giving Shin Dai was enough to bother him, he didn't want to be hit by it again but he was dodging faster and soon her luck would run out. Sota, Grey and Yuka quickly moved behind her and opened the door. The storm had picked up at some point, the winds blowing harshly while rain fell in large drops which smacked into the ground.

After a moment's hesitation the three charged outside and she lost sight of them as the rest of the wall obscured her vision of where they went. However, she would be taught a lesson for taking her gaze off of the demon. A swift smack of its clawed hand caught her sending Kagome through the now open door. She flew through the air for what seemed like minutes before then landing on her back in the mud which caused her to slid a few feet before stopping. Coughing to try and catch her breath she did not have long before Shin Dai emerged from the house and she finally got a decent look to his full form which had been obscured by the confines of her home.

He stood at least nine feet tall. Eight different small, round horns protruded from his head and his dark purple skin rippled across his slightly hunched and yet clearly agile body. His eyes were a dark and haunting red and the way he smiled which revealed the horrid, stained fangs within his mouth signaled that he knew he had the advantage on her. His tail, which was moving almost like a cat's, swished back and forth with a long, spear like appendage on the end. Luckily when he had tried to using it against the others earlier he had missed them!

Wait, where were they? Kagome glanced around as she forced herself to do a backwards crawl. However, in the darkness with only the lightning around them to illuminate what was fully going on it was hard to tell where they had ran to. Hopefully they were far away because this was not looking good. "The witch said you would be weak and squishy, yet you left me with a mark on my cheek, either she was wrong or I am lacking training" Shin Dai muttered, rubbing his cheek before allowing another broad grin to form on his face. That was when he charged forward.

She shouted, not knowing what else to do. This wasn't like in the Feudal Era, Inuyasha was not around to save her and without her bow, she had no real way to defend herself. Throwing up her hands in front of herself in a last ditch effort for protection she closed her eyes. It sucked that this was how everything would end. Dammit, she had been so close to being happy! At least the others might be safe.

Though... Honestly, she clearly needed to give them more credit.

A loud series of shouting came to her attention before Shin Dai suddenly redirected his attack to land to the side. Sota appeared next to her and raised something up into his hands before swinging it down and catching the demon on his shoulder. It was a hoe from the tool shed! Then suddenly Grey and Yuka appeared, they both held a post hold driver which had been used by her grandfather to lay the fencing he had claimed would give them privacy.

With the both of them holding one side of it they swung the heavy, iron implement forward and caught the demon on his side. Releasing it as they made contact this sent the creature flying off to the side as he shouted out in both pain and shock. "We gotta go! Right now!" Sota told her, pulling his sister up by her shoulders and helping her to stand as the demon quickly recovered.

"Die!" It screamed as Kagome grabbed her brother and pushed him forward, they raised back across to the front door and charged through it before slamming the entrance shut from behind them and placing their backs against it. Shin Dai smacked into it, causing the both of them to slide forward as they cried out, putting all their weight against the wood.

"What do we do?" Her brother asked, clearly frightened and out of ideas after saving her life. He simply was not used to this thing but, hell, at this point even she wasn't used to it anymore! That was she remembered, her old practice bow! As if one cue, Yuka and Grey appeared on the other side of the house through the back. They were both holding on to each other and looking haggard but other than that okay.

"Look under the stairs and find my bow, there should be arrows with it, hurry!" She ordered, another hard slam causing her and Sota to nearly lose their grip on the frame. If Shin Dai got in he would surely slaughter them but it seemed he had a partially one track mind. He was focused on the door when the windows would have easily gave way to his weight. Hopefully, he would not think of that.

Grey charged across the room and moved between the two siblings, placing his hands against the door and leaning into it. Yuka, as the only one left, was elected to get the bow. Her hair was a mess and she almost looked to be in shock but this did not stop her from picking up the flash light which Kagome had dropped earlier and quickly shining the light into the open under croft.

"Where is it!?" She cried out, rustling through all of the things that the Higurashi family had put into storage over the past few years. Kagome had not needed her practice bow since the Archery club met three days a week after school! Only the gods knew where it would be. "Don't panic, just look" She encouraged her friend, however, that was when something changed.

A prickling of energy in the air around her caused the priestess to be set on edge. Shin Dai was up to something as she paused a moment before pulling away from the door and then turning around and glancing up through the peep hole. Now he was just standing there, glaring at the door and not moving. But, she had sensed this before. He was gathering energy for an attack!

"Move now, come on" She ordered, taking both boys and forcing them in front of her and while pushing the two they knocked into Yuka and pulled her to the side. Kagome swiped the flash light from her friend and quickly shone the light across the inside of the small under croft before leaning in and pulling an old badminton set out of the way. "There it is" She stated under her breath,, retrieving the old bow. Granted, there were only four arrows in its small quiver...

"What do we do?" Sota asked, partially hiding behind her and yet bravely not standing back like the other two were doing. They were all frightened and yet he seemed to be the most determined to help. She thought quickly where they could go, was anywhere safe? Whatever Shin Dai was charging would eventually release and what if it was big enough to level the house?

"Now, I will admit that I thought you had a vivid imagination but this stuff is real and... Girl, how did you handle this shit?" Yuka spoke bluntly, drawing her friend's attention. Yu-Yu was trembling and yet she stepped up next to Sota, reaching behind him and then pulling out a wooden walking stick which her mother tended to use when her social group went hiking.

"Guys, you have to get out of here, he is after me and I can probably distract him" Kagome spoke bravely despite the fear which was deep within her heart. She had only taken a few demons one on one during her time in the Feudal Era, there had always been someone there to help or protect her. Yet,, this was her family and friends, she was pulling from what resolve she had to face Shin Dai with four arrows. Could she still charge them with spirit energy?

"Are you kidding me? Sota is like the first to die in every horror game we ever played and I need my best friend alive so I don't die next, besides, I am not a fast runner, I hate it" Grey told her, stepping forward before revealing his weapon of choice. Where the hell had he gotten a metal baseball bat!? "Mom got it when she kept thinking someone was trying to break in" Her little brother explained. Perhaps, their mother had actually been hearing demons outside of the house? That was a thought laced with anxiety and worry.

"Mouth Burst!" They had ran out of time, however, Kagome launched herself back and turned towards the door as it was suddenly blown off its hinges and sent flying towards them all. It would have probably leveled and possibly killed all of them had it not been for what happened next.

All of the energy welled to the top, as if suddenly it just gathered inside of her and needed to escape. She threw her hands out in front of her and instead of fearing what power she had, the girl grasped and controlled it. She would not let this demon hurt the people she cared for! Suddenly a large blast of power spread out in front of the young priestess, catching the large wooden and metal door before suspending it in the air.

She had no idea how she was doing it but there was no time to think about that, the only thought on her mind was protecting those brave enough to stand with her. The door held most of the straight blast back, the bright yellow and red energy smashing into her blue energy which surrounded the door but it seemed that she was the strongest and after a moment it died down.

"Holy hell, 'Gome, did you do that?" Yuka stated in surprise from behind her as Kagome slowly released her power on the door and let it drop to the ground. She stumbled for a moment and her friend caught her, that had taken more power from her than she thought but at least it had protected them. However, for some reason it was only the two of them, where were the boys?

"You might have been able to block my technique but I can still rip you to shreds Priestess!" Shin Dai stated, seemingly enraged that her powers had been stronger than his ability. If he had been much strong, she might not have actually been able to keep it back. The demon tried to move into the house before it suddenly shouted out in surprise and then glanced back, the wall obscuring its view from what was happening to the half of it which was still outside the entrance.

Sota had retrieved his hoe and once again used the improvised weapon, slicing into the demons back with the sharp end. Grey, after dodging back to avoid a swipe of the demons tail used his baseball bat to smack the creature in his mid back before they both brought their weapons up at the same moment and hit him in the back of his knees causing him to crumple forward and into the hallway.

"Hiyah!" Yuka shouted bravely, pausing before running forward and then taking the walking stick she had chosen then brought it down across his shoulders, slamming his face into the ground. "I have a date on Saturday! I can't die" She exclaimed bringing the stick up again and slamming it across his back once more. This was her chance!

Kagome didn't was the opportunity that her brother and friends had created. She held the bow out in front of her and quickly notched an arrow before raising it to eye length and pulling the string back. 'Keep calm, remember to breath out when you release' She mentally coached herself. Shin Dai's eyes widened and then glowed with his rage towards being brought down by a group of humans. There wasn't much time!

Yet, she didn't need another second.

The suddenly flow of energy which gathered in her released at the tip of her arrow which she let fly just as the demon tried to push its attackers back. The projectile flew as if in slow motion and just as Shin Dai raised his head it slammed into the middle of his eyes which widened in surprise. The energy which she had charged the weapon with glowed brilliantly as she reached out and pulled Yuka back.

"No! The witch said this would be an easy fight!" Shin Dai screamed, his head suddenly cracking back before the energy surrounded his body and then the room was filled with light. In the bright glow Kagome could see his body dissipate as she fell back with Yuka and they both landed on their rears. The boys outside which had been holding the demon in place were thrown back by the blast of energy which she had created. They landed off to the side just as the light vanished along with their attacker.

Everything was quiet after that, the only sound she could hear was Yuka's labored breaths and the sounds of Sota moving to stand outside before he rushed over to Grey and helped the other boy up. However, she was unable to check on them yet. Her own mind was scrambling with the shock and inability to comprehend everything which was going on.

Her dream had been real. Somehow, she had ended up in a different place and Inuyasha was in trouble. How many of her others nightmares had been visions? She had one for each of her friends! Could they have needed her and she not realize it? Also, her abilities. She had just used more energy in the past few minutes than her entire time in the Feudal Era. Kaede had once spoke to her about a priestess reaching a flowering point where her energy grew but this seemed a little too much to come all at once.

"Are you okay?" Yuka was the first to actually check on the boys, her leaning against the broken and battered door frame as Sota helped Grey in, holding the boy's arm across his shoulders. "Yeah, our ass just hurts is all and Grey twisted his ankle" He explained, his friend looking quite sheepish before the three of them looked to the fourth member of their group which had saved them all.

Kagome paused before nodding her head and slowly moving to stand, her hands were shaking but she forced them to calm before she raised her head. "That, Yuka, Grey, is a demon, I told you I wasn't crazy" She explained, glancing to her friend whom only shrugged her shoulders in response. Hey, it had seemed like an insane story so she couldn't hold it against her.

Well, she forced herself to focus on the positive. They had just survived a highly unexpected demon attack with just a few cuts, bruises and a twisted ankle. Also, sore asses as her brother had put it which she had to agree with. Each and every one of them was covered in mud and that was when she noticed the damage the home had taken.

The banister had multiple rungs broken out of it and there was a hole in the wall where Shin Dai's tail had struck it to keep the other three from escaping earlier. The kitchen window and table were utterly destroyed and debris was all over the floor. The front door had been completely blown off of its hinges and laid outside in the mud and rain. But... It could have been worse. She had seen much worse.

"I don't guess we can hide this from mom, eh, Kagome?" Sota asked, stepping up next to her along with Yuka while Grey settled at his feet and leaned against his legs. "Hey, no offense guys because honestly that was the damned most scary event of my life but can someone tell me what exactly is going on?" He asked, drawing the other threes attention before they nodded their heads. No point in hiding it from him now.

"It is a long story, good thing you have the whole night" Kagome told him, running her fingers through her soaked and muddy hair before the sight of car lights appeared through the windows and open entryway. Well... Shit. The explanation would have to wait. "Aw, hell, mom is going to have a heart attack, do we have a good excuse to tell her friends?" Sota asked quickly, glancing around the broken hallway and then back to his sister.

"Wild Party" "Break In" Yuka suggested the first and Grey suggested the second as they both glanced up to her for approval. While a break in would have been easier to say it would be hard to explain where the four of them had been during it. So, despite knowing it would make the four of them look absolutely terrible she decided to tell her mom's friends that a party had gone way out of control.

"Start crying like Tina-san did when her parents caught her after the big party she threw, she is a lying bitch but an excellent actress, be all distressed and blame it on some random sorority no one has heard of that came up and got all drunk" Yuka encouraged, trying to put on her best sad face as well. Heck, it seemed like the best idea they had so Kagome just went with.

But, both siblings knew their mother would see through this. The main factor was tricking her friends.

However, one thing held in the back of Kagome's mind as she kept her charade up, rushing out to meet her mom and her friends as they got out of their car. The well was still open, Shin Dai must have come from there. It meant that there had to be a way back to the Feudal Era.

A normal life had been fun, she truly had enjoyed it. But, Inuyasha was in trouble. He didn't deserve her, she knew this and it had been so long she honestly didn't know how she felt about him. However, he needed her and he had saved her many times before. So, Kagome made her decision. If the well was open, then she would be going back to help him.

Clearly, the Feudal Era was not as done with her as she had thought. Her mother was definitely not going to like this...

End Chapter

((A/N: There we go, finally a little action there. Wasn't that exciting? I think our little Kagome is getting much stronger and the other three did a good job as well. Who knew Yuka had a brave bone in her body? Haha. Phew, I apologize for not having this out sooner. I live on a farm (As I think I have said before) and the cows decided to pull a jail break yesterday and go running up and down the roads. So, that was fun. I would also like to thank everyone for reviewing, it means a lot to me to get feedback on my story and I love knowing somebody is showing interest . Now, it is early and I want breakfast so you all have a great day and I will see you in the next chapter. ^.^~))

Chapter Five, The Peril in the Past, Preview:

-"Are you sure something is not just going to up and eat you when you jump in? I mean, the creature thingy, Shin Dai, came out of there" Yuka asked, leaning cautiously over the edge of the well to look down into it. However, she quickly pulled her head back and leaped away a few feet after a moment. It seemed that her bravery had been used up the night before.

"I don't have the foreboding feeling I did yesterday when I came here, I think it is safe now" Kagome told her, clutching her bag close before the sound of someone coming up behind them caused the four to turn. Her mother stood there with a worried look on her face. Yet, in her hands was a black metal bow and a large quiver.

"I always hoped that the Feudal Era was done with you and that you could live a normal life, it is hard watching you go through there and being unable to call and check on you, but, I bought this a few years ago when we thought the well had opened then, if your going to go, I want you to have something strong to protect yourself with" Sora explained, approaching her eldest child and daughter before handing her the weapon.

Kagome gave a small smile before leaning in and suddenly hugging her mother close, the woman grasping onto her tightly as well before Sota suddenly joined them. "She is going to be okay, Ma, don't worry, this is Kagome we are talking about, you should have seen her yesterday" He explained, the three hugging each other tightly before slowly and reluctantly pulling away from one another.

"I know, I just wish I could go and be with you, now don't worry, I am going to call a few of your grandfather's friends and we will place protection markers all around the well house to keep anything that might come out other than you at bay" Sora told her, Sota nodding his head to signal he would be helping with this before her friend spoke up.

"Grey and I talked about it and sense my parents are rarely around and the Institution he lives at doesn't care, we will be around a lot to help fix things and such" Yuka told her, walking over and wrapping an arm around Sora's shoulders before giving her mother figure a bright smile. "Yeah, I don't have anything better to do and hell, this shi- I mean, stuff is kinda cool when you get past the whole almost dying part" Grey confirmed, chuckling as he eyed Ms. Higurashi which gave him a stern look. She hated harsh language.

"Okay, thank you both, I promise I won't be gone long, alright? I am just going to try to find out what is going on, someone in the village will have to know something" Kagome explained to them, nodding her head before walking around the lip of the well and then looking down into it. She paused before stepping up onto the lip of the large stone circle and then moving to stand on it, balancing easily.

Well... This was it. Time to go back to the Feudal Era and save her friends!-


	5. The Peril in the Past

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Howdy there, I hope you are having a better day than me. The weather around her suddenly turned cold and guess what happened? I got a cold, so I am sitting up in my room with all of my covers and food trying to make myself feel better. ^.^ Bleh. Anywho, the past four chapters have flown much more easy than I expected and we are about to get to the interesting and fun stuff, aren't we? The Feudal Era with all of its mysteries and little Kagome going in it alone once more to try and save Inuyasha. What secrets can the one familiar time hold? Let us find out..~))

Chapter Five

The Peril in the Past

Surprising the lie to her mother's friends had gone over more easily than expected. After a few well placed tears and a distressed explanation that some college fraternity had come to crash it the women had aided her family and friends with the clean up. In fact, they had even seemed that judgmental about it, a few of them even seemed relieved which was almost offensive to Kagome. What? She hung out with people and did things. If they were looking for wild then why don't they spend their night killing a demon? After that, trash television and sushi would seem wild enough.

There had been a few questions raised. Like why the destruction was so localized and how come there wasn't much proof of other people. Luckily, Yuka had been on the ball with every answer. There hadn't been much proof of other people because there had been no food or drink due to bad planning and the fraternity people were nice enough to remove their shoes. As for the hallway? Indoor Football. It all seemed so ridiculous and yet Sora's friends went with it. Whom were these people her mother called friends? They sure took everything in stride.

However, inevitably after the front door was repaired and a round of coffee had been given out to warm everyone up her mother's friends had left which meant not it was only the five of them. The air had a tense feel to it as everyone seemed determined not to start the conversation while the matriarch of the family sat there sipping her tea. Supposedly the shock of such destruction warranted a lack of caffeine in her beverage and a need for a calming effect.

Sota and Grey sat on the couch side by side. The latter of the two boys kept sending glances his friends way while her little brother simply kept shaking his head slowly. They were not going to be the ones to reveal what really happened. Yuka would probably have spoken up at some point but in all honesty, she had handled all the excuses and answers for the other people and it was time for Kagome to take over.

"A demon attacked" She stated simply, allowing that answer to hang in the air for a moment. Her mother's shoulders tensed immediately before they both sighed at the same time. However, she was not done. "We defeated it, together, some strange power woke up inside of me and I protected us with it" Kagome told her, raising her chin as she stared resolutely at Sora.

She was not ashamed of her past and if this had happened then they both knew what it meant. The well was back open. What she had elected not to tell her mother just yet was that the demon, Shin Dai, had been sent by someone and that meant more could be coming eventually. Right now, her complicated feelings about what they both wanted her life to be didn't matter. The Feudal Era was coming after her and would continue to send creatures until the problem was dealt with whether they liked it or not. It was a surreal realization that made her feel almost trapped in fate's web.

That had been a feeling she had learned to get used to as the Priestess Reincarnation which had to locate the shards of the Shikon No Tama for a demon she ended up falling in love with and her friends whom needed help in one way or such a fate... How long had it been since she really considered what happened to them all?

Kagome had always assumed that they all simply moved off and lived their own lives after she didn't return one day. Sure, they would have mourned her but there was still a mission and things to do. Sango would have rallied everyone and they would probably have followed after a whiny Inuyasha while using Kikyo to locate the last remaining , who knew what wish had been made on the stone?

But, what if they really had missed her? What if things had fallen apart and they had gotten in trouble? There had been once or twice there where the young priestess had not given herself credit in helping save the day. It had always felt boastful and overconfident to believe they had struggled without her. Now, she almost felt selfish for assuming things had been so easy.

"Did anyone get hurt?" Sora suddenly asked, jerking her away from her thoughts as she looked back up to her mother before realizing that air in the room had changed. Everything seemed almost more relaxed now. Had she come to accept it? Surely not that easily. Not after everything she had spoke of about being happy that the Feudal Era had released her daughter so that she could have a normal life.

"Grey twisted his ankle and we have some bumps and bruises" Sota spoked up, seemingly as shocked as his sister that their mother was not going into a complete fit over what had transpired while she was away. This meant that Kagome would have to go back into the well, didn't it? Or was he missing something like usual?

"Tanaki-san was so confused as to why you were covered in mud, I cannot believe Yuka suggested it was due to mud wrestling, that made it come across very suggestive" Sora admonished the young girl, wagging her finger at her as she moved to stand before looking at a picture which hung on one of the far walls. It had been a while since Kagome had looked at the same photo because it had been so long.

The picture had been taken with a time delay camera which allowed them all to be in it. Inuyasha had come through the well and they all had dinner at the house, it had been right before she caught him for the last time. They had forced him to wear some normal clothing and despite his complaining he had eventually done it. The man looked so handsome in a long, dark red sweater and a pair of pale red jeans. He was still barefoot and yet his smile was what drew her attention. He truly seemed happy. It was her whole family and him, together and smiling for the camera. A similar one had been taken of her with her friends in the Feudal Era but it had been put away and yet for some reason this one had been left out...

"Sorry, I was kind of running out of ideas near the end and I forgot how dirty we looked" Yuka mumbled from off to the side, brushing a little dirt off of her legs before crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back. However, when the other woman cleared her throat and motioned to the futon Yu-Yu quickly sat back up as to not get more mud on it than she already had.

"You all need showers, hardened mud can hurt the skin after a while, Sota, take your friend upstairs and you can both change and shower, Yuka can use the downstairs bathroom," Sora ordered, standing there and still staring at the picture as the boy reluctantly nodded his head and then moved to stand. All three of them cast Kagome a worried look before the two boys went up the stairs and Yu-Yu went to the back bathroom which resided off of the kitchen.

"I always knew this day would come" Sora explained, turning to her daughter and then holding up a hand when the girl went to speak. She had plenty that needed to be said now that it was clear what would be happening. "You see, I never really did believe in your grandfather's abilities but he always did have this knack for guessing at the future, supposedly, one of our ancestors was a talented seer of the future" Her mother told her while taking the photo off of the wall and then walking around to where her daughter sat and then taking a seat next to her.

"He told me about his dreams and how they pointed to you having a perilous and yet vibrant future where you would save people and do great things, I didn't like this of course, a mother wants to protect her children and when you are there I cannot follow, even if I did, I would not really know how to keep you safe" The woman's soft words conveyed the weight she wished she could help Kagome bare. Such responsibilities which had been on her since she was fourteen years old.

"A normal life seems all well and good but I have been able to see the sadness in your eyes, the pain you suffer and this picture.. Well, over the years it had taught me a lesson. I always thought that one day you would have to come to choose between either this time or the Feudal Era. That frightened me, I didn't want to lose my daughter to somewhere in which I could never see her again. I considered it luck and a gift from the gods that when the well closed you were on this side and not the other. But, with it reopen, I know you are going to do the right thing... Especially if demons are coming back through" Sora spoke evenly and yet softly before reaching out and taking her daughter's hands in her own.

"In this picture you are happy, perhaps both lives are your own, I can't let my worries and fears hold you back, you are strong and confident, Kagome, you can face any trial and win, if people need you and you want to go then I completely understand" With that said, her mother went quiet as they just stared at each other quietly for a few moments.

It had been so unexpected. Kagome had expected her mother to have a breakdown or simply demand that she could not leave and that she needed to live a normal life. But, this being said hit a cord somewhere deep within her and before she knew it tears were rolling down her cheeks. One quick motion and she was hugging her mother close, crying into her chest as the woman held her.

They were tears of relief, fear and understanding. This was not some simple decision. She was sacrificing everything that she had worked for in the past years and the education she had to carve out for herself. With just a few months to graduate, she could wait but what if another demon came through the well? What if she was not there to protect her family or if her powers failed her at a crucial moment? It was too much of a risk.

In some way, despite having wanted to go back for so long, Kagome was almost spiteful. She felt like the decision had been stolen from her and that somehow she had been promptly denied the secondary life she had been working so hard on. But, hadn't she always known that being normal just was not in the cards for her? Would she have ever been able to get used to just working a normal day job and marrying some random guy she met down the line? It was a life which seemed pretty on paper but came across rather bland in truth.

It was hard to say how long she spent there, just talking to her mother and letting the woman take away her fear. This wasn't like last time where she had accidentally ended up being a part of some big scheme to find the pieces of the Shikon No Tama. There was no telling what would be in the Feudal Era when she went back and the thought was most frightening. Would her friends be there? Did she have the strength and abilities to go on her own? Hopefully her knack for luck would be enough to protect her because something told the young priestess that things were going to be different this time around.

It had been hard to get much sleep during the night, even after her mother had sent Kagome to bed. There was too much on her mind and just knowing that the next day she would be going back through the well was a heavy burden which kept her from resting. It was a rather sudden decision but Sora had promised her that schooling and everything would be handled. The woman had drawn the same conclusion as her that even if she had chose to stay in this time the demons would still be coming.

The fact was that it was now at the moment where they all had to be realists. Kagome had a bigger role to play in whatever was going on in the Feudal Era than any of them expected and her grandfather had spoken many times on "No matter how far or fast a person runs, if fate desires him then it shall catch up soon enough". Well, she was not running, despite the apprehension and fear inside her.

However, there was also an odd peace which settled in her soul. A strange comfort which soothed her and helped her to relax as she laid there in her bed and stared up at the ceiling of her room. The night was not spent all in a constant worry of peril but instead she planned and prepared mentally for what would come. What were the things she would need? Where would she go first?

Well, it was quite obvious as to her first destination. Kaede's Village. Someone there could probably point her in the direction of one of her friends and then she could go and talk things out with whomever she found. Surely Sango would be willing to help? Maybe her old demon slayer best friend had stayed around waiting for her? No, wait... She would not want that. It had been years, hopefully the woman moved on and she could just locate her down the road.

Even with this comfort allowed her a few brief hours of rest it was as if Kagome's mind was ready to go and she awoke with the rising sun before sitting up on her bed and staring out the window. The well house was there, a constant symbol of choice and fate. Luckily, there was no school today so her mother could do whatever she had planned. However, likely it would mean instead of graduating, her daughter would have to simply take an adult studies program down the road.

But, what was the real worry? It wasn't about mortal danger or having to travel in the Feudal Era alone. Kagome was more afraid about what might happen if the well closed once she was on the other side. Such an unexpected thing had happened four years ago and she had been "lucky" enough to be on the side with her family. But, what if that accident took place again? Could she find a way to reopen it or would she be permanently separated from her mother, brother and best friend? The thought was too heavy a one to bare and she simply pushed it from her mind. Now was not a time to think such things.

Most of the morning she took at a slow and yet steady pace. Taking a luxurious shower and making sure to pack all of the hygiene items she would need. Then she went down to have breakfast with her family. That had been a little awkward. Sota and Sora bother tried their best to make it seem like everything was okay and that it was just a normal day but they all knew better. The well was back open, the eldest child was going back through to face demons and creatures and who knew what else...

Greywin and Yuka popped down a little bit later and the both of them seemed to despise the morning sun. They were definitely not used to demon attacks because they kept complaining about aches and pains while pretending that it was a normal day as well. That raised her spirits a little, Kagome had learned to take these types of battles in stride and despite having a few aches and bruises, nothing really bothered her.

After breakfast, her mother revealed to have brought her a sturdy backpack which she placed a change of clothes in along with her hygiene and some medical supplies. After that, extra food was placed into it as well. She always wondered what the Feudal people did when they wandered up upon a plastic wrapper she had discarded? Their reaction would probably be interesting to say the least.

Finally, around one pm she stepped outside and made her way to the well with Yuka, Sota and Greywin following closely behind and her bag on her shoulder. It was time and has this realization fully struck her an excitement swelled within the young priestess's body. She was going to go and find Inuyasha, save him if needed and if not well... Most likely smack him because he deserved it for some reason. She didn't know the reason yet but he would earn it in the first few moments of their conversation. She would definitely not kiss him. That would be bad- Wait!? She wouldn't kiss him at all! Why had such a thing popped into her head? Now was not the time for that.

Sota and Greywin opened the double doors of the well house for her, both boys struggling for a moment before the entrance was opened to her. The scratches on the ground and the lip of the well where Shin Dai had come through the night before were evident and this only served to cement her decision in knowing she was going back. Someone had sent him with the knowledge of how she traveled home, it didn't matter what she had to do but her family would be protected.

"Are you sure something is not just going to up and eat you when you jump in? I mean, the creature thingy, Shin Dai, came out of there" Yuka asked, leaning cautiously over the edge of the well to look down into it. However, she quickly pulled her head back and leaped away a few feet after a moment. It seemed that her bravery had been used up the night before.

"I don't have the foreboding feeling I did yesterday when I came here, I think it is safe now" Kagome told her, clutching her bag close before the sound of someone coming up behind them caused the four to turn. Her mother stood there with a worried look on her face. Yet, in her hands was a black metal bow and a large quiver.

"I always hoped that the Feudal Era was done with you and that you could live a normal life, it is hard watching you go through there and being unable to call and check on you, but, I bought this a few years ago when we thought the well had opened then, if your going to go, I want you to have something strong to protect yourself with" Sora explained, approaching her eldest child and daughter before handing her the weapon.

Kagome gave a small smile before leaning in and suddenly hugging her mother close, the woman grasping onto her tightly as well before Sota suddenly joined them. "She is going to be okay, Ma, don't worry, this is Kagome we are talking about, you should have seen her yesterday" He explained, the three hugging each other tightly before slowly and reluctantly pulling away from one another.

"I know, I just wish I could go and be with you, now don't worry, I am going to call a few of your grandfather's friends and we will place protection markers all around the well house to keep anything that might come out other than you at bay" Sora told her, Sota nodding his head to signal he would be helping with this before her friend spoke up.

"Grey and I talked about it and sense my parents are rarely around and the Institution he lives at doesn't care, we will be around a lot to help fix things and such" Yuka told her, walking over and wrapping an arm around Sora's shoulders before giving her mother figure a bright smile. "Yeah, I don't have anything better to do and hell, this shi- I mean, stuff is kinda cool when you get past the whole almost dying part" Grey confirmed, chuckling as he eyed Ms. Higurashi which gave him a stern look. She hated harsh language.

"Okay, thank you both, I promise I won't be gone long, alright? I am just going to try to find out what is going on, someone in the village will have to know something" Kagome explained to them, nodding her head before walking around the lip of the well and then looking down into it. She paused before stepping up onto the lip of the large stone circle and then moving to stand on it, balancing easily.

Well... This was it. Time to go back to the Feudal Era and save her friends! She was going to protect her family from a knowing threat which had sought her out and revealed that the well had reopened. Perhaps, she would even find why it closed in the first place? Yeah, that would be nice too. It didn't matter that just two days ago she was living a normal life and happy. This was her life and she was finally going to embrace it like she should have.

Okay, so, now, go... Jump... Do it...

Why wasn't she listening to herself? Kagome stood there on the lip of the well staring down into the black abyss beneath her before glancing back to the four people behind her and sighing. It was going to be very hard to leave at least three of them and she was highly curious about the fourth. Also, she would have spent lunch with a new boy at school... Hey, that was her reason to slap Inuyasha, he had ruined her chance with a new guy. Perfect.~

"You will be fine and if you get hungry or worried then just come back home" Sora encouraged from behind her, the woman's hands were on the shoulders of her son as if making sure that the well would not take him away along with her daughter.

"Yeah, it will be great, you are going to go in there and come back with a big new story to tell us so that mom freaks out and has to pull out her stress fan" Sota told her before getting smacked behind the head and wincing. However, this did not stop the bright smile which formed on his face. He was so excited for her.

"Don't worry about everyone at school, I am going to tell them you went to an acting college, oh, I will miss you so much, Kagome" Yuka told her, holding on to Sora's arm and bouncing on the heels of her feet. This would be the first time they had been apart since they had become friends.

"You know, people don't usually get a chance like this, you have had it twice, keep your head up and be strong, I wanna hear about what the Feudal Era is like now" Greywin spoke softly from behind the other three, offering her a small smile of her own.

This is what drove Kagome forward as she smiled softly and then nodded her head before facing down into the well. She wasn't going to say anything, it would make leaving too hard. With one push she felt herself become weightless and heard the collective gasps which came from her mother and best friend before suddenly the sensation of falling hit her.

Okay! Any second now she was either going to come in contact with some very harsh ground and probably break her leg or she would be sent into the Feudal Era. She couldn't say how much she hoped it would be the second one. Maybe she should have tried to drop a pebble in or something to check the well out? Dammit, that probably wouldn't have worked but she should have learned to test out this thing.

Suddenly, the walls of the well which had been rushing past her vanished and a familiar and yet almost foreign weightless feeling took hold of her before a bright light flashed around her and she gasped herself. Holy Shit, the well was working! She might have known that but, hey, she was literally going back to the Feudal Era now after what had been nearing five years. This was exciting! This was incredible! This was-

Hard.

'Wham!'

Just like that, Kagome was lying on the wet ground. Her head spun for a moment because in her excitement she had forgotten to bring up her feet to catch herself and had instead landed on her stomach. That was not the best feeling to suffer from and as she took in a deep breath to recover her senses the girl took note that her bag was not with her. "Oh hell, did I let it go?" She spoke to only herself, sitting up and glancing around. Her new bow was laid out next to her but her backpack was missing, where had it gone? Did she really leave it behi-

'Wham!'

Just like that, she was laid out on her back with the large backpack on her stomach. After this happened. Kagome just laid there for a moment before allowing her breath to return and then sighing softly. Who knew that portals had a time delay on baggage? She would have left had it not been that landing on her chest and then having her back slammed into the floor reminded her just how close Shin Dai had gotten to eating her.

"Okay, no one saw that, come on, get pumped, lets do this" She encouraged herself, pushing the bag off of her and then moving to stand before draping the strap of it over her shoulder and then fastening her bow and quiver behind her. The was was bleak and dreary yet a shaft of light from up above shined through and helped her to see the ivy she would use to climb out.

This part always sucked. Using the ivy to pull herself out had become normal during her time traveling with Inuyasha but it had been a few years since then and as the young priestess set forth to climbing it she became very knowing of the differences within her. While her arms were stronger from the Archery Club and her legs from running Track she had not been the most physical person. So, by the time she reached the top of the well not only was she winded but now she had leaves all over her. With one last push, she reached the top of the well and pulled herself out.

She was not prepared for what she would see...

"Ribbit?"

The noise reached her as Kagome's head appeared above the well and she came to eye level with a large red and green frog which sat there. They stared at each other for a few brief moments and she could swear that the frog turned its head to the side a little before saying "Ribbity?". This made her pause before slowly lifting herself the rest of the way outside of the well and then passing over him, reaching down to pat the small creatures head as she stood on solid ground once again.

"Ribbity!" The frog cried out gleefully before jumping out after her, this surprised the woman as she nearly swatted it away as it hopped up next to her and then peered up at the priestess curiously. "Aren't you a strange little thing" She muttered softly before glancing up and then looking around. There were more trees than there had been in the clearing when she left, a few had flowered with little white blooms. Other than that, it was just as she remembered. Okay, now she had to go to the village. Luckily, she remembered her way.

However, as Kagome started off down the path, glancing up at the brilliant blue sky and feeling the breeze on her skin, something else came to her attention. 'hop hop hop' The sound caused her to pause and then look down before she noticed the frog hopping next to her and following her. "Hey, what are you doing?" She asked it, pausing as it did as well before looking up at her.

"Ribbit" It answered simply, as if that was all she needed to know before hopping out in front of her a few paces and then looking back at her. "Ribbity!" It demanded, motioning with its head before hopping along. This made her pause a moment while tilting her own head to the side, but, hey, weirder things had happened and the frog was cute so she followed after it and then rushed past, leading the way to Kaede's Village. The first destination on her new journey.

End Chapter

((A/N:There we go, she has reached the Feudal Era and now starts her epic journey. Oh, what does fate hold in the cards for our dear priestess and her friends? Whom is after her and is she strong enough to defeat her enemy? Or is it enemies? I am so excited for the next chapter and I can't wait to get it out to all of you. I am sorry there was such a delay on this one, building things is hard and it knocks me out. Anywho, I look forward to seeing my readers in the next chapter and I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am. Tata until then. ~))

Chapter Six, Unexpected, To Say The Least, Preview:

-The buildings were broken and beaten down. It was hard to tell if a demon had done this or if it was just due to neglect and an absence of workers to keep the huts in shape. Grass was overgrown in front of the buildings hinting that it had been at least a year since anyone had been in the village. This had not been what she expected. Had everyone moved or had something happened to them?

Kagome slowly made her way past the different huts, glancing into them curiously as the frog followed along with her. What if no one was in the village? How on earth would she decide on where to go next? Could she find her was to Sango's Village without getting lost. This was not going as she had planned at all. "Ribbity" The sound drew her attention as her frog companion hopped off to the side and lead her past one of the larger huts. What greeted her made her blood run cold.

There had always been a small grave yard in the village but this one was much bigger, at least twenty or thirty new headstones and markers signaled where different people had been buried. This was the Feudal Era and honestly, she had not known many of the other villagers too well but it was still a blow. It could have been anything from a harsh winter to a demon attack. Honestly, she had no way of knowing.

Different names graced the different stones which had been crudely done. There were a few she recognized. A young woman which had shown her how to roast vegetables, a man whom had been the wood worker of the village. A lot of the others were probably just nameless faces which had finally been given just that as she passed by each stone. However, she was looking for a certain marker.

"You realize that walking in a graveyard is both ill advised and also known to place curses on one's soul, whom are you?" A voice called out suddenly, drawing her attention as Kagome glanced up and then looked behind her. She had not even heard someone approach and the person standing there shocked her. It couldn't be...-


	6. Unexpected, To Say The Least

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Howdy Ho, everyone! I put the chickens in their pen and they survived the night so I feel like I have accomplished something. There are still a multitude of chores to be done before winter gets here, the farm gets pretty hectic and yet slow during that period and I still have to get the wooden coop portion built. No one likes fluffed out frozen chickens. However, today is a cleaning day. Which is great, just channeling my inner Cinderella over here. Anywho, I am so excited that it has reached Chapter Six, soon it will be past chapter Ten and then who knows how far it will go? I won't keep ya'll with my long note, on to the chapter.!.~))

Chapter Six

Unexpected, To Say The Least

So many memories came flooding back to her as Kagome slowly made her way down the grassy hill and towards where she had known the village to be. It was strange but she felt like she had been so much younger when her journey had taken place. It had been almost five whole years since she had traveled with Inuyasha and her friends, yet here she was again. The same trepidation and nervousness growing in her soul.

She knew that this time it would be different. There would be no powerful demon holding her hand and protecting her from what came, if her dream had been right then she would actually be the one protecting him this time. That was... If he was even still alive. No! He was. She couldn't think like that. Despite their differences, he had never given up on her and she would return the favor by saving him from whatever held him.

Though, whom was her new enemy? A witch? She had gathered that much from both Shin Dai and her dream. Perhaps, someone at the village would be able to tell her more? However, despite grasping to what confidence that was in her heart, Kagome felt worry and doubt creeping in. Yes, her powers might have been growing and she was better with a bow but what would happen if she ran into certain demons without the Tessaiga to protect her? Could she really hope to be a challenge for them? She might have defeated Shin Dai but he was a lower ranked being to say the least.

Hopefully she would find the others soon...

"Ribbit" The sound reached her ears as she glanced down to see that her large frog companion was still following her, hopping absently next to her as if he was almost leading the way. "This is going to be dangerous, you shouldn't follow me" The young priestess told him but the small creature simply ignored her and continued going along. After a moment, she decided to test it and stopped her movements.

The frog hopped a few more passes before glancing around and then looking back towards her. "Ribby?" She could have sworn it was as if it was asking if she was tired already or something close to that. "No, I was just testing you" Kagome realized how crazy this must have been, it was a frog she was talking to after all. But, the small being didn't seem to mind as it hopped back to her before they resumed pace together.

Stranger things happened in the Feudal Era and until she found her friend it was slightly comforting to have some other sort of living soul with her. Not that a frog would do much good if a horde of demons ran into them. But, hell, at least one of them would live to tell the story... At least to his froggy friends.

She was nearing the village now. It was easy to tell from the markers which villagers had placed into the trees to guide weary travelers. Kaede had taught her to look for them, however, the marks were faded and worn into the now taller trees. No one had re-cut them in quite a while. For some reason, this formed a worrisome note in her stomach which only tightened when she finally reached the village and had her fears justified.

The grass was overgrown leading into the area where the buildings were. This was the first obvious example that no one had been tending the fields of walking the trails. The long weeds mixed with still growing wheat reached up to her knees as Kagome slowly stepped through it before hearing a muffled cry and then looking down. It seemed that her frog companion was having a bit of trouble.

"Oh, come here you" She mumbled, reaching down and picking him up, holding the clammy creature in her hands while carefully pushing through the grass until reaching the other side where it was shorter and she could place him down.

There were deep marks in the ground which signaled that a battle could have taken place, though, whether they were old markings from where she and her friends had defended the village or where an all new demon had attacked, there was no way to tell.

The buildings were broken and beaten down. It was hard to tell if a demon had done this or if it was just due to neglect and an absence of workers to keep the huts in shape. Grass was overgrown in front of the buildings hinting that it had been at least a year since anyone had been in the village. This had not been what she expected. Had everyone moved or had something happened to them?

Kagome slowly made her way past the different huts, glancing into them curiously as the frog followed along with her. What if no one was in the village? How on earth would she decide on where to go next? Could she find her was to Sango's Village without getting lost. This was not going as she had planned at all. "Ribbity" The sound drew her attention as her frog companion hopped off to the side and lead her past one of the larger huts. What greeted her made her blood run cold.

There had always been a small grave yard in the village but this one was much bigger, at least twenty or thirty new headstones and markers signaled where different people had been buried. This was the Feudal Era and honestly, she had not known many of the other villagers too well but it was still a blow. It could have been anything from a harsh winter to a demon attack. Honestly, she had no way of knowing.

Different names graced the different stones which had been crudely done. There were a few she recognized. A young woman which had shown her how to roast vegetables, a man whom had been the wood worker of the village. A lot of the others were probably just nameless faces which had finally been given just that as she passed by each stone. However, she was looking for a certain marker.

"You realize that walking in a graveyard is both ill advised and also known to place curses on one's soul, whom are you?" A voice called out suddenly, drawing her attention as Kagome glanced up and then looked behind her. She had not even heard someone approach and the person standing there shocked her. It couldn't be...

"Aye, now you get your ass on up out of there, it is a sacred burial site and I blessed it myself, I won't tolerate no- Kagome?" The old woman stated, both of them sharing the same shocked look as they stared at each other for a few long moments. There was no way in hell, she had been positively ancient in the first place! How on earth?

"It is you! Kagome, I thought something had ended up killing you in your time" Kaede called out, the old woman hobbling forward before suddenly reaching up and wrapping her arms around the young priestess's neck. The girl didn't respond at first, simply glancing down at the woman with wide eyes.

"How in the hell are you alive?" She mumbled, absently putting her thoughts into words. However, a moment later a loud "whap!" was heard through the forest when Kaede smacked her on the back of the head with her wooden staff. "Now you listen to me, young girl, I am not that old and also when you haven't seen a person in a while the last damn thing you do is mention their age, if anything, I look younger!" Kaede shouted at her as Kagome laid off to the side with a knot on her head. The woman didn't tolerate any rudeness still, though it had usually been Inuyasha on the bad end of her staff.

"Hey, don't blame me! I don't even know how much time has passed and even you have to admit it is surprising that you aren- Whap!" Kagome was silenced by another smack to the head which caused her to wince before she slowly picked herself up and rubbed the two knots now forming there. She had forgotten how violent people in the Feudal Era would be.

"Fate has plenty still in store for me, now, come, the spirits will not know whom you are and they nary enjoy having people intrude upon their privacy so close to Solstice" Kaede explained, using her staff to hobble along while she led the way through the grass. The young priestess hesitated and glanced down to the many different graves before sighing and picking up the frog once more. What had happened to these people?

"They died, as most people do around these parts" The elderly woman stated, glancing back to her and shaking her head. "We had an early winter and were not prepared, then an undead attack, those whom didn't die did the smart thing and left" It was a simply and direct explanation, yet the tone of her voice had changed. There was a sadness she was trying to mask and Kagome picked up on it. She asked the natural question which first came to her.

"Where were the others to help? Sango? Miroku? Inuyasha?" She questioned, lifting up her legs and leaping over the tall grass while quickly approaching up behind Kaede whom was not looking at her now. "Nay, dear, I haven't seen any of them in years, the demon hunter used ta visit but I guess she grew tired of it and just didn't come back one day" Was her answer while Kaede nodded with her head towards a trail that could barely be seen. The grass was worn down just slightly, was the old woman the only person whom still came here?

"I still have me hut, which you should have gone to first, come, I have some food we can prepare and you can tell me what happened, I am sure we both have questions but, like I said, the spirits are rather restless around these parts" The old woman told her, nudging the back of the girl's shin with her staff to get her going before starting off down the trail.

Now that she thought about it, her senses were tingling in some strange fashion. It was as if her skin was electrified and, as Kagome glanced around she realized that the area was... Different than she remembered. Not only were the huts broken down and decrepit but the grass had a pale, sickly look to it. Light didn't reach the ground and there were dark shadows that shouldn't be able to form during this time of the day. The village almost looked cursed.

Where had her friends gone? Sure, they had their travels but Kaede's Village had always been a sort of default home for them. She had always expected that Sango and Miroku would settle down someone near after getting married. Yet, when Kaede had spoken about them she could have sworn there was a little resentment in her tone. Had something happened that she needed to know about? Why had Sango's visits stopped? She was okay, right?

"You worry yourself too much, I can sense the waves of emotions flying off of ya, calm down and focus your thoughts, muddled feelings are common but you are past the age to allow unbalance to wreak havoc inside of ya" The old woman stated, glancing back as she walked. Her face looked tired and yet her eyes still held that same softness that had always been present even when she was being strict. She was glad to see her again but Kagome could sense that there was a burden on her.

A cloud of darkness followed Kaede now. It was hard to explain how she could see it but the woman's shadow reached further and her body seemed weaker. Was it just age? No. Something had done this to her. She had mentioned an undead attack, could that be it? A wave of protectiveness formed in Kagome's heart as she calmed herself and followed the elderly priestess. How on earth had she survived so long alone?

"Here we are, my little home, you remember it, don't you?" Kaede asked, hobbling up and then placing her staff against the door before undoing a latch and then swinging it open. "Yeah, I could never forget this place, it is bigger now though" The young priestess told her, removing her shoes before following her lead and entering the familiar and yet different hut.

"Aye, there was an old wood worker whom set up shop in the woods, I gave him food and he did some work for me" Kaede explained, shrugging off the leather shawl she had been wearing and then going over to start the fire. "No questions yet, since you are familiar then you know where I keep the vegetables, fetch me some carrots and potatoes, we shall make a stew to celebrate your return" Was the order she gave while beginning to relight the fire.

The soft joy and comfortable feeling the village had once given was gone. There was no longer the bustle of busy people or the smiles they gave and the offer of help. It was now dark and quiet, just the wind and the birds in the trees which offered what sounds did come. She must have been so lonely here, all alone for whom knew how long. She had spoken of the woodworker but something whispered he probably was no longer around either.

Kagome fetched the vegetables she had been sent after before coming over and sitting next to Kaede whom handed her a small wooden board and a knife in term. Just as they had years before, both set forth to making a meal together. However, though it was an almost touching scene, questions needing answers hung in the air and neither of them really wanted to go first. So, Kagome took the initiative.

"I just woke up one day and the well wouldn't open to me" She stated, her words hanging in the air while she sliced the vegetables and watched the elderly woman pulled out an iron bowl to place over the now burning fire. "I tried and tried and tried, for months, really almost a year before I nearly hurt myself and had to stop, I don't know why it wouldn't open" Her tone was soft, revealing her confusion and pain. She wanted the woman to know she had missed her and that being away had been hard, perhaps to convey that in the dangerous world she lived in someone still cared about her.

"Portals are fickle things and yours stretched through time, it is not surprising that one day it did not open, more than likely it either lost power or the Shikon No Tama elected to not send your through" Kaede told her, absently taking the now cut vegetables and tossing them into the cauldron before pouring some water in to join them. "Go fetch some salt and dill weed, you still know what that herb looks like, yes?" She ordered, keeping her eyes on the fire.

"Yes... Well, the portal opened up last night when a demon called Shin Dai came through, he attacked me while I was with my brother and some friends but we fought him off and then I returned here as fast as I could" Kagome knew there was more to say as she fetched the salt from a small bag under a wooden table in the corner. Everything was still right where it had been years ago.

"Then perhaps someone closed the portal and elected to send something through to finish you off when you least expected it, I am glad to hear your skills have not lessened during your time away" The old woman was speaking in such a clipped and almost harsh tone. Her logic was usually helpful but right now it almost hurt the younger girl to hear it. She had become jaded against the world, first she loses her sisters and now the villagers whom she cared so much for.

"I am glad to see you again" Kagome stated softly, sitting next to her once more as Kaede reached back and grabbed some salt from the small bag which had been brought to her then cast it on the fire. "You forgot the dill weed" was the only answer she received before standing and going to fetch the green herb.

The rest of their meal preparations were quiet, the older woman seeming uninterested and intentionally avoiding any explanation as to where Kagome's friends might be or what had happened while she was away. By the time that everything had been put together and the lid had been put on nothing new had really been learned other than that the frog seemingly hated fires. It had followed them in and was no nestled under the wooden table, nibbling at different herbs and spices.

There was so much she needed to know. This woman had been her first teacher and someone she trusted greatly despite her journey never allowing her to stay in the village for too long. Did she blame her for not being there when the undead attacked? Or was there another reason?

It did not take long for their meal to stew down and send an amazingly familiar smell into the room which brought back memories. She had prepared this with her mentor before and remembered every time they had shared it together. However, this moment was different. While their was a true joy in her heart to finally have someone from the past back in her life... There was a chasm between them that she didn't know how to breach. For a while, she believed the uncomfortable silence which filled the room would be permanent and then suddenly, just as the meal was about to boil, Kaede spoke.

"It all happened late one evening, two years ago, your demon friend had just left that morning to return to her villager, she was excited to see her brother whom had been away on a demon hunt for a few weeks" The woman began, grabbing a wooden spoon before slowly beginning to stir the contents of the large pot. "We had become complacent in our existence, thought we knew the world and everything that it had to offer, there should have been no reason to fear... Then the fog rolled in" A tortured look formed in Kaede's eyes which caused Kagome's heart to break apart.

"The screams reached me in the very early morning, we were unprepared and by the time I had gotten outside the undead were everywhere, I know not where they came from or why they were so violent, but they were attacking anyone they could reach. A few took refuge in my hut, just two women and a few children, the men tried to defend the outside while I prepared wards, but my powers failed me. Those undead broke in, they dragged the two girls away while I used my staff to ward the few others which arrived back, I had just enough in me to keep them at bay until morning arrived, the sun banished them and I awoke three days later, the children had been nursing me... Those poor innocent souls" It was a heavy tale for her to recite and yet one which sated all of the younger girl's questions.

"Aye, when your friend returned she blamed herself for what happened, said she should have stayed and protected us, I was angry, lost to my own emotions, perhaps I said a few things I shouldn't which I do regret, after helping me take the children somewhere they could be raised safely and happily I returned here to oversee the burials and insure the victim's souls were at peace, she did visit a few times after but I feel that with every glance of me only guilt and regret plagued her" Kaede glanced up after explaining this, ladling the stew into a bowl and then handing the contents to Kagome.

"You see, I tell you this for a reason, my heart swells with the love of a mother and sister to know you are back, dear girl, but this world has changed while you were away, I cannot lead you to your friends and the journey which you seek to take will only bring an early death, so, while I wish our time together could be joyous, I am plagued with the fear of your well being and tormented by my own lack of knowledge to the goings on outside my hut and village" The elderly priestess told her, placing her hands over the girl's before offering a sad smile.

"Go home, please, I sense a spirit within you so much stronger than when you left us those years ago, We can seal the shrine from both ends, pushing the stones into it and bury everything, I have lost so much and one of my only comforts was the possible thought that you had been safe in your time, away from the growing darkness in mine" With that said the woman returned to the pot to get her some stew as well.

"But, Kaede, Naraku was defeated and the Shikon No Tama was almost completed, I thought peace was to return, wasn't there supposed to be-" Kagome was silenced by a raising of the woman's hand as she was shot a look which was both strict and yet soft. "Peace could have been wished for but when the Shikon No Tama was completed a selfish wish was made, more darkness exists in this world other than just Naraku and I feel it growing, first in the East, then the West... Now everywhere. Tales of settlements vanishing from existence, of demons pouring out of the mountains.. The land is much more deadly than it was during your last time here, child, perhaps we are cursed".

"I refused to believe that" Kagome stated, holding her bowl in both hands before returning the elderly woman's knowing look with one of her own which spoke confidence and a true belief in all things good. "No, I know this land is not cursed, if Naraku was unable to destroy it then I will be damned if anyone else can!" With that, she placed her stew down hard on the ground, causing the contents to splash out before she stood.

"I once helped this land, yeah, I had lots of people to aid me but I won't let whatever darkness you sense take it! Whatever sent those undead need to be found and I know my friends will help us! We can still win, I believe in a peace which exists for all of us" She was inspired, her words holding a new found strength. She wasn't going to travel just to find her friends, no, this was her time too! She had been given her abilities for a reason and was going to use them to help bring and end to the darkness she should have helped to defeat years ago!

"Oh, dear girl, your optimism is a comforting experience but I am telling you the truth, we both know taking on such a journey alone is not only foolish but impossible, there is no demon with an enchanted sword, no Inuyasha-" "I don't need him, I will find out what happened to all of my friends, ALL of them but I will bring peace to this time, even if it takes my life, I don't care, I was given my power for a reason and I will no longer sit back and let other people lead the way, I know there must be a way to save this land and I will do it even if I have to face a whole horde of demons alone" Kagome silenced here with this, standing resolutely as a couple of minutes passed.

Then, suddenly with a sigh Kaede simply shrugged.

"Fine, you seemed determined and I will not try to silence your ambition, I have seen what you can do when really determined, perhaps a miracle can happen" The woman said, taking a sip of her stew before glancing up to the girl next to her. "We shall leave in three days time, I must refresh what wards I can and you shall help, then we will send our prayers and blessing to the people's spirits and collect what we can".

Wait a minute...

"We? Kaede, you can't possibly-" "Silence, girl, I have sat around and communed with the spirits of the long departed for too long. Everyone I know is either dead or gone from this place and I have but one person left whom I care for and that is you, if it is your foolish determination that will take you away then this time I shall follow, like I said, I am feeling younger every day, now, clean up your damned mess and then eat some stew, we have work to do" It was Kaede's time to silence her as she tossed Kagome a look which stated that her words was law. They both knew when the old woman made up her mind that nothing was going to change it.

The idea that they would be doing this together, though, was an oddly comforting one. Sure, there was no Sango or Inuyasha to travel with her. Honestly, a girl whom had barely fought any real battles and an old woman whom had seen too many were not a terrifying duo. But, the gods had given her a true gift. Kaede was here and they would go together. They would find her friends and then all of them would help save the land once and for all.

It might have been a foolish and silly idea, but, hell, she was used to thinking that way. After all, she had loved Inuyasha and THAT was foolish and stupid. Three days and they both would head out to only the gods knew where. Hopefully, giving her a friend was not the only blessing they would send down.

They would need all the help they could get if what Kaede said was true. A force stronger than Naraku was a terrifying concept.

End Chapter

((A/N: Phew, finally. For some reason this chapter took much longer to put out than I thought it would. Apologies to all whom were waiting and hopefully looking forward to it. Life can be a bit of a bother some times. Also, I want lie, I got the new Bloodborne game and I am loving it. However, I seek to put out at least two chapters a week if my muses will allow it. So, I hope to keep putting forth the material so that you all might enjoy it. Anywho, I look forward to seeing you all again in the next chapter and I hope you all have a wonderful day.~))

Chapter Seven, Destination Unknown, Preview:

-They had only begun their hike a few hours ago and yet already things were looking distressing. With the knowledge that Kaede had no idea where they should start first Kagome found herself to be at a loss. Should they head to Sango's village? That seemed like the brightest concept but according to her traveling companion the woods surrounding her friend's home were becoming field with treacherous creatures according to what the demon hunter had said before her final departure. What if they ran into something like that? It was doubtful even with a teacher to help train her powers that they would survive such an attack.

But then, if not there, where?

"Supposedly a small sanctuary had popped up outside of the forest, only about two days hike, I know not if it will still be there but maybe it is our best hope" Kaede suggested from the side, hobbling along with the two bags she had been determined to bring along. She looked weighted down and tired but every time Kagome suggested that they should take a break the woman just brushed her off and called her lazy.

"You are just mentioning this now?" The young priestess stated, her tone admonishing as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and then savored the cool breeze which passed through the trees around them. "Aye, like I said, it is most likely a big ole pile of ash now, places like that don't exist long in these lands anymore, but we can at least check" Kaede answered, her words direct and laced with a focused sentiment.

They both knew that there was only enough food for a week or two if they rationed it out, perhaps a month. But, what then? It was possible to get lost for a very long time when one did not know where they were going. What if they couldn't find their way? Also, being out at night could be dangerous and Kagome did not relish the idea of sleeping near a fire with no walls or buildings to protect them.

"Somebody is beginning to feel to realistic burden of her new mission, well, buck up girl! I am not training some child anymore, you are a grown woman and it is time to be strong and resolute" Kaede told her, the woman straightening her posture before hobbling along a little faster. The statement, which had been strict was comforting in a way and did well to soothe Kagome's worried spirits.

"Besides, if we starve to death then at least we did not get ate by demons, that is a bonus, though I guess they could find our bodies once the smell got bad".-


	7. Destination Unknown

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hi there, everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day. I am sorry that production on this story has slowed, I would prefer to post two chapters a week at least and will strive to return to this goal. With the encroaching winter I am having to do like Kaede and prepare the farm, haha. But, things are coming together and with my coffee maker working once more I have some gas to fuel my creative machine. I can't believe it is already chapter Seven. ^.^ Soon, it will be ten and then on to forty or fifty. I do plan on this being a very long story and I hope the quality keeps to your tastes. Anywho, no need to bore you all with my ramblings. On to the story.~))

Chapter Seven

Destination Unknown

It had been three days since Kagome's return to the Feudal Era and she was still having to grow used to how things were. But, even with the constant work and chores which Kaede forced upon her, she was still glad to be back. For each day they fortified, remade and blessed every part of the old village. At first, she could not fathom why because with no one to tend it surely the area would fall into an even worse state of disarray. Then, one the second night she spent sleeping next to the old woman's cot it dawned on her.

This was still Kaede's home. All of her friends were here, granted they were buried but their spirits lingered and to have demons come and settle on the land while they were away would not only cause a potential threat to her family back home but also that would dishonor those long past. The woman was leaving everything she cared for to come watch over her and nothing that Kagome said would stop her.

Every day for those three day the same argument was had, both attacking different angles. However, in the end the older of the two was the victor. She needed training with her new powers and Kaede was the perfect (and only) teacher she could have. In a way, the woman seemed also determined out of worry and fear that should Kagome leave once more then she might vanish for good.

The growing dependency the elderly woman had on her last remaining friend became very clear on the last night before their journey was to take place. They had practiced some rituals and wards before blessing the small makeshift shrine that had been built in honor of the deceased. It was shocking but her powers had easily strengthened all of the seals that her teacher had placed, proving she was indeed stronger than before.

Her small frog, which was now considered a pet by the both of them, slept comfortably next to her head. That had been an issue at first when she woke up to find a slimy amphibian butt in her face but the small creature seemed determined and after a good washing he was much more pleasant to share a pillow with. Kaede had kept some of the things she had brought over years before, some of which had proven useful like the old sleeping bag and pillow. She had forgotten to pack her own.

Kagome simply laid there, staring up at the ceiling. The two prior nights she had done the exact same, unable to sleep for a multitude of reasons. Excitement and nerves caused her heart to race as she thought through every possible thing which could go wrong while also considering that sometime in the future she was guaranteed to see her friends again... Well, hopefully. After a moment though, something bumped her shoulder.

She glanced to the side to see Kaede's hand had reached down and in the old woman's sleep she know held onto her shirt lightly. How long had she been forced to be alone in this small village, unable to abandon those she had been close to? None of her friends had stayed to watch over her other than Sango. Sure, Inuyasha and Miroku had always been a little self centered (The demon much more than the priest) but in her heart she always thought they would protect their elder. What had happened to those two? Also, Shippo? Kouga? Ayame? Hell, sometimes she even got curious as to the where about of Sesshomaru.

The young priestess reached up after a moment and took her teacher's hand, holding it lightly in the both of her own before closing her eyes. 'Please protect this woman and give her strength, let her life through this with me' She prayed in her mind. After that, she slowly fell asleep only to wake up the next day and find that her elder was up, prepared and ready to go.

"Ye seemed tired and I know ye need to get the grasp of things once more but the sun is passing and we want to gain as much distance as possible before night fall" Kaede spoke softly while gathering up the provisions which they would be bringing along. She had not had much in the first place and to split it between them meant even less but this did not seem to phase her. They would just have to watch what they eat and hope to find a village where they could collect more soon.

"If the damned harvest had been more fruitful we would not have these worries" She spoke, hoisting a small bag of rice into Kagome's bag while gathering up a handful of potatoes and putting them in as well. "I am only one old woman though and with my other responsibilities could not hope to make a proper harvest, I simply have my small garden which will most likely be gone when I return but this is a necessary sacrifice".

After a small yawn Kagome reached out and grasped her brush, beginning to brush the knots out of her hair then wearily moving to stand. While she had all of the excitement possible for their journey, the past three days had involved a lot of activity and preparation in which left her with little energy. "Aye, you be tired but we must get going today" Kaede mentioned, rolling her eyes while reaching out and then hoisting the bag she had been packing over to the the door.

"It is the start of a new moon, that offers good luck and a chance for stealth at night if needed, it might be a little dark at night but we are grown women and I think can handle any little demons which prowl around the wood" The elderly woman spoke so easily about a fight but as the younger of the two thought back to her fight with Shin Dai an increased feeling of dread filled her soul.

There had been four people fighting Shin Dai and he had not expected for there to be a real battle. It had been a mix of sheer determination and the fact her powers came to fruition at just the right moment. If anyone had hesitated or fallen they might have died and things could have gone much worse. However, as she contemplated this worrisome possibility a small "smack" of wood meeting wood was heard.

"Did I not say that ye have to stop being such a defeatist? It is depressing and ye must focus on the inner strength and belief in yourself" Kaede told her, having smacked her staff against the floor before turning and then hobbling out. "Also, if ye hurry up then maybe tonight we can bathe in the Yulani river, while the villages might have vanished it is doubtful a whole body of water has redirected" The woman stated, sounding almost excited. Kagome had seen the small creek which she was forced to bathe herself in now, if they had traded roles she would most likely have been excited too. However, right now she was definitely thinking of the withdrawals her time created. Especially that of a warm shower right when she woke up.

"Ribbit" As if ushering her on, the small frog which had been sleeping quietly next to her suddenly came to life. It stretched its long front and back legs before looking up at her and then suddenly hopping off towards the door. Well, hell, if he was moving then she could get going as well.

Kagome was remembering how easy traveling had been in the later point of her first journey, Kirara had made everything easier. She could only wonder what had happened to Sango's cute pet and friend. Did she still use her for traveling and companionship or had the hard years claimed the nekomata. It was doubtful, seeing as how the being had been rather old and powerful. At least... She didn't want to consider an allies death.

That had been a rather depressing train of thought she had been derailing on a daily basis. What had once been the narrow minded belief that she would reunite with her friends had instead become a constant worry. The Feudal Era had become a much more dangerous place where it couldn't be trusted that a village born one year would survive to the next. This might have seemed like something which would have happened during her first journey but things just seemed worst. Was it realistic to believe that every one of her allies and friends had survived?

"I am sensing a negativity! Girl, if you don't get a move on and put a smile on that face then I shall have to show you my wrath, so smile!" Kaede shouted, shaking her from her thoughts as the old woman appeared in the door before sighing and then hobbling over to her. A moment later and her hands were taken by the elderly priestess before their eyes met. "Bow ye damned head now, show respect" She was ordered, quickly doing so as her companion bowed her head in turn.

For a moment, she didn't really pray for anything. Kagome had sent many wishes and prayers to the heavens over the past few days. She wanted her family to find comfort and be protected while she was away. She wanted the spirits to rest in peace. She definitely wanted their journey to be a safe one. It wasn't that she no longer believed, Kagome was just frightened and... Wait... What was that?

Suddenly a warmth emanated from Kaede's hands, the woman seeming to focus before this warmth traveled their touching hands and then up Kagome's arms. It calmed her, causing her heart to slow its erratic beating and relaxing her muscles which had been tight due to stress. After this happened the older woman let her go before nodding and giving a small smile up to her.

"I might not be able to do much anymore, but I can do that, have some faith in me and stop ye worrying" She ordered softly then turned to hobble off back towards the entrance. The young priestess had no idea what her companion had done, it must have been a technique that priestesses used which she had not been shown yet. However, it did the job. She now felt better and more focused on the task ahead.

Upon stepping outside she was met with the bright sun and a gentle breeze. It was a beautiful day and a perfect one to start a journey. Perhaps, this would all work out. They had not really decided on a destination but with no maps to reference that would be accurate there was no point to this. According to Kaede there had been no visitor to the village in over a year and that meant anything she had once known could be false. So basically, they were just starting off in a direction and hoping for the best.

The same direction she had gone off with Inuyasha on when the search for the shards of the Shikon No Tama had began.

"Okay, I am ready, lets go" Kagome stated confidently, looking to the side before realizing that the elderly woman was not there. Neither was the bags she had been packing or the small frog which had decided to come along. "Eh?" She said simply, glancing back into the hut before looking up on the horizon. There the two were, hobbling and hopping along towards the forest and promptly leaving her behind.

"Hey! Wait up you guys!" She shouted, quickly grabbing her own bag and then rolling up the sleeping bag before fastening them both to her back and then taking off out the door. "You think we were going to wait? I get tired quickly and you wearing me down, so I was just going to do the whole journey myself" Kaede shouted back to her, the young priestess rushing to catch up as a delighted smile formed on her face.

Perhaps things would take a better turn once they had made their way into the forest?

-...A little time passes by...-

They had only begun their hike a few hours ago and yet already things were looking distressing. With the knowledge that Kaede had no idea where they should start first Kagome found herself to be at a loss. Should they head to Sango's village? That seemed like the brightest concept but according to her traveling companion the woods surrounding her friend's home were becoming field with treacherous creatures according to what the demon hunter had said before her final departure. What if they ran into something like that? It was doubtful even with a teacher to help train her powers that they would survive such an attack.

But then, if not there, where?

"Supposedly a small sanctuary had popped up outside of the forest, only about two days hike, I know not if it will still be there but maybe it is our best hope" Kaede suggested from the side, hobbling along with the two bags she had been determined to bring along. She looked weighted down and tired but every time Kagome suggested that they should take a break the woman just brushed her off and called her lazy.

"You are just mentioning this now?" The young priestess stated, her tone admonishing as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and then savored the cool breeze which passed through the trees around them. "Aye, like I said, it is most likely a big ole pile of ash now, places like that don't exist long in these lands anymore, but we can at least check" Kaede answered, her words direct and laced with a focused sentiment.

They both knew that there was only enough food for a week or two if they rationed it out, perhaps a month. But, what then? It was possible to get lost for a very long time when one did not know where they were going. What if they couldn't find their way? Also, being out at night could be dangerous and Kagome did not relish the idea of sleeping near a fire with no walls or buildings to protect them.

"Somebody is beginning to feel to realistic burden of her new mission, well, buck up girl! I am not training some child anymore, you are a grown woman and it is time to be strong and resolute" Kaede told her, the woman straightening her posture before hobbling along a little faster. The statement, which had been strict was comforting in a way and did well to soothe Kagome's worried spirits.

"Besides, if we starve to death then at least we did not get ate by demons, that is a bonus, though I guess they could find our bodies once the smell got bad however by that point our souls would most likely be somewhere safe" The elderly woman explained before glancing off to the side and noticing the younger girl giving her a rather bland look. "What? Should we not look to the better side of out journey?" She stated simply.

Death was not the better side of things.

The forest had changed. It no longer seemed as welcoming or easy to traverse. At one time, you could have slept against one of the trees in the warm sunlight but now their branches blocked out the sun and lowered the temperature. Thorns, roots and vines were stretched out along the ground, constantly seeking to trip a traveler up and have them smack into the ground. They were both struggling along, avoiding having the sharp thorns stab into their clothing while also trying not to slow down too much.

"Aye, this thicket is on me last nerve!" Kaede shouted suddenly before bringing her staff down. A small light came from the point of the ground where the end of it met and then suddenly the earth around them reacted. The vines and thorns pulled away, repelled by an invisible force as the elderly woman simply sighed and then hobbled through them quickly. It seemed that she was full of tricks.

"The sanctuary is in this direction, when we get there I will show you how to use this technique, but one must remember not to anger the gods of the wood, we only use it when too much impedes our journey" The Elder Priestess had been tossing in small lessons over the past few days, having actually taught her a few useful things. While her powers were still in a seemingly endless state of flux she could now create a small ball of light and also was practicing a healing technique. It wasn't much but it was more than she had three days before. Positivity. Was that even a word?

"I used to know much, my sister thought she knew more but this was not true, while she was very powerful, I was the one which studied those techniques she found needless" Kaede said, it had been the first mention of her sister in a while. "I still do know much but after her death I punished myself, instead of training like I should have I became lax and thus my powers weakened making it to where I could not wield certain abilities, however I can teach these to you and that should aid us" The woman seemed to doubt herself and yet Kagome felt that this was just the beginning. Perhaps, all she needed was to train a little as well?

She was going to breach this subject as a possibility when suddenly the sound of something above them drew the both of their attention. Both priestess sensed it at the same time before a large creature suddenly flew over them both. "To the side!" Kaede ordered quickly, the both of them rushing up under one of the trees and pressing against its base. Whatever the being was, it's body was large and as it flew over them it released a low, rumbling sound. "That looks like a dragon" Kagome commented breathlessly, her eyes wide as she watched the black beast beat its wings into the air before ascending higher.

"Aye, it is just an over grown lizard demon, perhaps an elder of a sort, I have seen it a few times, luckily it did not see us" Kaede told her, the both of them not moving from the tree for a series of moments as they collected their wits. It had come from nowhere and been upon them in a second, without the natural coverage of the limbs above them they might have been eaten! Perhaps, burned by its fire breath! Did overgrown lizard elders have fire breath? She didn't care and she didn't want to find out.

"It never comes this close, it either sensed my powers or has ventured farther from its home for some reason, regardless we must stay next to the trees and not use our abilities unless we have to" The elderly woman instructed, stepping away from the tree and glancing off into the distance before nodding her head and then motioning that the two of them should continue moving. It took Kagome a moment but she did so, stepping up closely to her traveling companion as she placed a hand over her heart to calm herself.

That thing had not been the largest demon she had seen but it was definitely different. Quick and the most like a dragon she had ever witnessed before, her brother would get a kick out of this story when she told it. Though, while the elder lizard might have seemed frightening she knew that with one swing of Tessaiga it would most likely be felled or would flee. If only she could do what Inuyasha had been able to.

Instead, she had her bow. The only other ability which Kaede had shown her was one she already knew but found use in practicing. The art of channeling her powers into the tip of an arrow before letting it lose. She was becoming adept at this and it did make her more deadly, but against a being like that? Probably not much use. The old woman had also brought along her staff and a second bow but they only had so many arrows. It was simple, they definitely did not want something as large as that finding them or it was game over.

"Fear not, if he had been desiring to eat us then he would have been more focused on locating us, most likely something has driven him from his home for the day, perhaps an angry mate" Kaede pondered openly, smiling as if that had been some sort of joke. However, the thought of there being more than one of the creatures just turned Kagome's stomach as she winced. Without Inuyasha around, this journey was going to be long and very worrisome. Hopefully their luck held out...

-That Night-

After the elder lizard demon had flown over them the rest of the day had become rather quiet and after a few hours Kagome had been able to relax. They took only two breaks, knowing that the longer they rested, the longer it would take for them to reach the sanctuary. However, night was coming and with the sun steadily setting in the horizon an all new nervousness filled her soul. She would be sleeping outside for the first time in years.

"We just need to find a small little cave or something, anything to get into where we can light a little fire and then bed down for the evening" Kaede told her, hobbling along a grassy rock face which they had been circling. The forest was slowly beginning to merge with rocks and a rolling terrace. She knew this area well, if one traveled about a week and a half in the western direction they would reach Sango's village. What had once seemed like such a simple trek was now quite far.

"We should go to Sango's village after we rest at the sanctuary" Kagome stated, her shoulders aching from the straps of not only her own bag but a second one which she had finally gotten the older woman to give her. The elder priestess might have been a focused woman but her body was still old and the long hike was beginning to wear them both down regardless of what they desired.

"Aye, that is the plan, hopefully you can convince her to join us and then we won't have to be so worried over every little demon" Kaede agreed, hobbling up onto one of the rocks. Even though she was old she got around like a goat and never lost balance, perhaps it had been due to years of wandering these parts. How long had it been since the last time she ventured this deep into the woods? Most likely a good while.

"So, you admit you get nervous to?" Kagome pointed out, looking up at her with a small smile as the older woman simply rolled her eyes. She might pretend but they both knew that large demon which had flown over them hours ago had caused a fright in both their souls. "A wise man knows when to worry when he sees a confident fool's corpse" The old woman said in response, an old piece of wisdom she had heard long ago.

They had no redirected and were climbing up the rock face, which was not steep but one had to be careful not to lose their balance or it was a decent tumble back to the ground. While the younger of the two struggled to keep up the older led the way, finally reaching the top of the rocky hill before looking out over the horizon where the sun was slowly beginning to set.

"There it is!" Kaede's excited voice reached her ears as it took her a moment but Kagome finally arrived behind the woman. Her companion was pointing off in front of them and in truth, she saw nothing at first and had to stare for a minute. Then her eyes adjusted and she could see the small plume of smoke rising, it had to be a campfire!

"Do you think we can make it?" She asked quickly, knowing that the sanctuary meant a much more restful and comfortable sleep. However, her hopes were dashed with the woman's response. "I doubt it, we would be caught in the night and it is not wise to move around at such a late time" The elderly woman answered, shaking her head before sighing and then motioning to the rock face.

"This here is the place we shall sleep, we can retreat into the crevice here and light a very small fire, however in the morning we are sure to reach the sanctuary with only an hour or two's walk" Kaede spoke in a more positive tone but this still meant they would be sleeping outside tonight. But, the small cave and Sanctuary being so close meant that Kagome could calm her fears as she entered the crevice and then placed her bags down. The relief which was brought to her shoulders was monumental.

"It was easy back then, wasn't it? Just throw everything onto Kirara and fly all around or just walk until ye sensed a shard" The old woman teased, throwing down the bags she had been carrying as well before taking out a roll of leather had stretching it out and then sitting on it. It truly had been easier, most of the time the nekomata took them anywhere that was needed and before then they had just wandered around waiting to sense where a shard was. What had seemed so purposeful back then seemed so aimless now.

"Yeah, it was" Kagome admitted, sighing softly as she rolled out her sleeping bag before sitting on it. Her ankles ached, her shoulders hurt and her whole form was ready for sleep even though the sun had not settled. However, in a way she did not mind this. The fact was is that the gods had seen fit to give her what she wanted, which was the ability to come back to this time. Even though her body would have to get used to their travels, she would always be thankful for this opportunity.

"There is the good vibes I have been trying to get you to focus on, keep that mood set and things will get better" Kaede told her, the woman nodding her head as she cracked some small pieces of wood which had been in one of the bags. After gathering a little of the dry moss which was in the mouth of the cave and placing it on top of the wood she struck a small dagger against a stone and they had fire.

"Now, rest but we must prepare a meal quickly, eat it and then bury the remains, I will have to dull the light of the fire so that we do not draw too much attention as we sleep" She instructed, motioning for Kagome to begin digging a whole as she got together the vegetables which they would be eating that night. "If only I had some good salted meat, I ran out almost a year ago and the protein would do me some good" The woman stated with a sigh, shaking her head. Maybe the sanctuary would have some they could trade for?

"Is it safe?" Kagome asked as she dug, knowing her hands would be a mess and that she would get dirt all over her clothes. They both looked like a mess but until they reached the river or a hot springs there was no chance of a good washing. "Relatively, with the sanctuary so close the demons will keep away from these parts as long as we don't make too much of ourselves" Was her answer as Kaede placed a pot over the flames.

Kagome leaned out of the mouth of the cave, glancing off into the distance at the small plume of rising smoke before sighing softly and then nodding her head. Tomorrow they would reach their first point of contact with other people. They could collect information, get some more food and then plan for the trek to Sango's village. It was all coming together now.

Or so she thought...

End Chapter

((A/N: There we go. It took me a bit but the chapter is out and I hope it met your expectations. I realize this was a bit of a slow one but it is building up to some good things. I have some pretty major plans that I am preparing to bring into action and Kagome has to find her friends, you know? So, I hope you join me for the journey in chapter eight. ^.^ Now, I have to go cut down some vines, they are taking over the side of my grandma's house. Bye for now.~))

Chapter Eight, The Curse of Uriya, Preview:

-The fire had died down during the time that Kagome and Kaede had been sleeping, the whole cave now bathed in darkness with just the barest light from the night sky coming in through the entrance. She had been so tired at first that she did not register the sounds around her, the light crunch under a person's feet or the rifling through her bags. However, when the pot which was left beside the fire was knocked over the area was filled with the sound of iron meeting stone.

"Huh?" Kagome sat up quickly, blinking as she tried to banish the drowsiness of having been startled awake and tried to focus her gaze. As her companion struggled to awake the sound of a rather surprised frog reached her ears. Standing at the entrance was a person, the shadows hiding everything about him/her before the man/girl suddenly took off in a sprint away from the mouth of the cave.

He had their bags!

"Hey, you bastard, get back here!" She shouted, jumping up and instinctively reaching out to grab her bow and quiver before quickly stepping out of the entrance. "Kagome? What is going on?" She heard Kaede shout, but there was no time to inform her. The person whom had stolen their things was already at the base of the rocks and heading to the safety of the trees, if she did not hurry he would get away!

Taking a deep breath she took a leap, stumbling but catching herself as she quickly ran across the tops of the stones and then slid down to the base of the rock face before taking off after the criminal. Sanctuary might have been close but they needed everything they had and she would not let him get away with this!

"Hey, you asshole! That is ours, get back here!" She shouted, charging past the trees while holding her bow tightly. This could be a bandit whom had friends but she was too determined to let him just steal from them. The person was fast and she could barely see him ahead of her, then suddenly he crouched down and took off into the trees. What happened next, was simply instinct.

Kagome lifted up her bow and with a quick grace she did not know she had notched an arrow. She focused the tip with energy just like Kaede had shown her and without think let it fly. There was the 'twang' of her bow and then a 'fwoosh!' as the energy which had collected in her projectile blew bast the limbs. A loud cry was heard and the person suddenly appeared, falling out of the limbs and landing on the ground, hard.

Without hesitating she rushed up, bow in hand with yet another arrow notched before she came next to him and pointed her weapon at the guy that dared steal from them. "I might have just winged you the first time but I won't hesitate to kill you!" She warned, ready to do what she had to as the criminal groaned before rolling over. The shadows obscured them both from each other but her voice was undeniable.

"K... Kagome?" The voice, a mixture of shock and surprise was deeper and had a strong tone to it. But, somehow she recognized it. When the young man leaned forward, even with longer hair and stronger futures, there was no denying whom he was...-

-.-


	8. The Curse of Uriya (Pt1)

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hi there, everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day. I realize it has been about a week since you received an update so I worked hard to push this one out for you guys. I can't believe it is already chapter eight, I hope to be in the twenties before December passes, wouldn't that be awesome? Today we reveal the person Kagome ran into in the wood and finally delve deeper into the corruption of the Feudal Era. Excited? So am I. Even if you are not... Well, I still am, so bleh.~ Anywho, I hope you all are staying warm and here we go with the next chapter. In honor of Halloween.~))

Chapter Eight

The Curse of Uriya

The fire had died down during the time that Kagome and Kaede had been sleeping, the whole cave now bathed in darkness with just the barest light from the night sky coming in through the entrance. She had been so tired at first that she did not register the sounds around her, the light crunch under a person's feet or the rifling through her bags. However, when the pot which was left beside the fire was knocked over the area was filled with the sound of iron meeting stone.

"Huh?" Kagome sat up quickly, blinking as she tried to banish the drowsiness of having been startled awake and tried to focus her gaze. As her companion struggled to awake the sound of a rather surprised frog reached her ears. Standing at the entrance was a person, the shadows hiding everything about him/her before the man/girl suddenly took off in a sprint away from the mouth of the cave.

He had their bags!

"Hey, you bastard, get back here!" She shouted, jumping up and instinctively reaching out to grab her bow and quiver before quickly stepping out of the entrance. "Kagome? What is going on?" She heard Kaede shout, but there was no time to inform her. The person whom had stolen their things was already at the base of the rocks and heading to the safety of the trees, if she did not hurry he would get away!

Taking a deep breath she took a leap, stumbling but catching herself as she quickly ran across the tops of the stones and then slid down to the base of the rock face before taking off after the criminal. Sanctuary might have been close but they needed everything they had and she would not let him get away with this!

"Hey, you asshole! That is ours, get back here!" She shouted, charging past the trees while holding her bow tightly. This could be a bandit whom had friends but she was too determined to let him just steal from them. The person was fast and she could barely see him ahead of her, then suddenly he crouched down and took off into the trees. What happened next, was simply instinct.

Kagome lifted up her bow and with a quick grace she did not know she had notched an arrow. She focused the tip with energy just like Kaede had shown her and without think let it fly. There was the 'twang' of her bow and then a 'fwoosh!' as the energy which had collected in her projectile blew bast the limbs. A loud cry was heard and the person suddenly appeared, falling out of the limbs and landing on the ground, hard.

Without hesitating she rushed up, bow in hand with yet another arrow notched before she came next to him and pointed her weapon at the guy that dared steal from them. "I might have just winged you the first time but I won't hesitate to kill you!" She warned, ready to do what she had to as the criminal groaned before rolling over. The shadows obscured them both from each other but her voice was undeniable.

"K... Kagome?" The voice, a mixture of shock and surprise was deeper and had a strong tone to it. But, somehow she recognized it. When the young man leaned forward, even with longer hair and stronger futures, there was no denying whom he was...

Shippo had changed a lot. He had grown taller, nearly standing to the height of her brother. The boy's hair was longer and pulled back, a few strands now falling into a slightly more defined face as his wide eyes stared up at her in shock. Only five years had passed yet it seemed like he had grown up too quickly, she was facing the reality of what her time away had caused her to miss.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were never coming back" He commented, sitting up and then hesitating before reaching up and grasping his shoulder. She had winged him, shooting off that arrow by instinct which honestly, surprised and shocked her. In the past the young priestess had always been one to hesitate and worry but this time she had struck out at her thief without pause. Maybe she really was changing?

She did not know what to say, surprise to see him stealing her words as she went down on one knee and instantly reached out. She wiped the blood away with her finger, it was just a small cut which meant her powers much have sent a powerful enough blast to knock him down. In a way, she felt proud and yet seeing the boy again, someone whom had been like a son to her but now stood tall like her brother... It was hard to handle. What could she say? Was it time to apologize for being gone? Should she question him? Why had Shippo been stealing their things? He had always been mischievous but never an outright thief.

"The well closed behind me after I fought with Inuyasha, I did not mean to be gone" Kagome spoke softly, offering him a small smile while she hesitated before reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled the boy close and suddenly felt tears forming in her eyes. It was hard to understand exactly what emotions were filling her heart but the most important was relief. He had always been so willful and silly,, with the Feudal Era having changed on some level she had been afraid he might be dead somewhere. Killed by a random demon without them to protect him.

Shippo hesitated as well, the boy pausing and then quickly bringing up his arms and wrapping them around her waist. In an adorable fashion he instantly begun to sob loudly, his face pressed into her shoulder as she pet his back lightly. Finally, one of her friends. How long had he been out here alone, though? Were the others with him? There was so much to ask. It would have been quite the touching scene as well had it not suddenly been for the loud "thwap!" which echoed through the forest a moment later.

The fox boy lay off to the side, having been struck away from Kagome in one fluid motion by Kaede's staff as the elderly woman charged around her and instantly brought her weapon down once more. It struck the boy across his shoulder causing him to cry out as the young priestess stared up at her mentor with look of shock and dismay. What the hell was she doing!?

"Aye, I thought it could be you, always able to hide everything but that little puff ball tail!" The woman shouted, pinning the boy down with her staff before turning and facing her student. "Now, I was hoping the gods would spare ye this, but it seems not, this little devil is not one to be trusted, understand me? He isn't what you think and I was praying we wouldn't run into him, hoping he might have been eaten by a wolf" Kaede explained, shocking Kagome even more as the young woman stood up. "What are you doing!? Let him go, you are hurting him!" She shouted in response, dodging forward only to have her teacher smack her hands away as Shippo squirmed and wiggled in an attempt to escape.

"Ye don't understand, girl, he is not some young un' anymore that we knew, he ran off and joined a group of bastard demons which roam the land pillaging and murdering! The stupid child ran off trying to follow after Inuyasha and then brought the demons back with him to raid my village!" Kaede shouted, causing the young girl to pause before glancing down to the boy at their feet. He was not moving now, just staring up at them with a gaze which spoke of his guilt without need of questioning or curiosities. He had joined a gang? Surely not, they were all teaching and leading him. He was going to train to become a higher ranked fox demon!

"Listen, I know this may be hard to believe but we have no time to discuss it, we need to smack this ruffian on the behind and rush off while we can, his buddies are sure to be around and we need not tangle with them if we value our heads on our shoulders" The elderly priestess instructed, glancing down to Shippo with cold eyes as he fluffed out his tail and then squirmed around once more causing her to struggle to keep him in place. "No, wait! I am not with them anymore, Kaede-sama! I promise, I am alone" He pleased, kicking and then suddenly propelling himself forward.

The young fox demon was older than he used to be and she underestimated his new strength, suddenly he was gone from under her staff and vanished into the bushes in front of them causing the old woman to nearly topple over as she reached out and grabbed onto the girl in front of her for support. She instantly swung around after righting herself, taking her staff and striking out at the bushes before the boy's voice suddenly sounded out from above them. "Come on, Kaede-sama, I miss Kagome, I promise I left that group, I was wrong, okay? Really" Shippo pleaded from up in the tree above them, he was balanced on a limb looking down at the two women with big eyes.

"Whap!"

The limb shook underneath the boy nearly sending him flying down onto the ground as he reached down to steady himself, Kaede standing beneath him with an angry gaze as she held the end of her staff with both hands. "I told ye if I ever saw you again I would beat the snot out of ye! Well, here ye are and the snot shall be beat from you!" She professed, smacking the limb once more before the boy jumped away again.

"Wait, calm down and let me talk to him" Kagome told her, reaching out and suddenly grabbing the end of the elderly woman's weapon before causing her to look her in the eye. Her soft tone was calming as she gave her mentor a strict glance and then forced her staff down before stepping forward and looking up into the tree. "Did you really join a gang, Shippo?" She asked softly, clasping her hands in front of her as she stared up into the dark shadows. It pained her to know this honestly, what had driven the little demon to do such a thing?

"Aw, come on, Kagome, don't say it like that, I didn't mean to disappoint you, I was looking for Inuyasha and I got caught up in a bad group, I really didn't know what they were doing and then when I figured it out I ran away from em" Shippo explained, the boy appearing once more above them as he crouched down. A familiar pout was on his lips and the boy's eyes held a look of sorrow and shame. Clearly he had not been prepared to ever have to tell her of his demons.

"He tells lies, even Sango tried to talk to him about his dealings with that clan and the devil would not see fit, he said they were his family, bah! When we took care of ye for so long too!" Kaede shouted, stepping forward before the young priestess's hand was tossed out once more to stop her. There would be no more violence if she had her way with things. No matter what was going on, she would always be protective of the boy.

"You both are going to calm down and we will talk these things out, you come down from that tree and you, put the weapon down" Kagome ordered, instructing them both as she pointed to them and then stepped back. Shippo was the first to comply, landing gracefully in front of her with a fashion that mimicked how Inuyasha had done so many times before. Kaede listened as well after a moment, squinting her eyes at the boy before placing her staff down in front of her.

"I really didn't wanna steal from you guys, Kagome, I just haven't eat in a while and my stomach hurts so bad, I was looking for food and when you woke up I got scared and darted without thinking, I was going to return your things after I ate some of it" The boy explained, keeping his eyes on the ground while constantly casting weary glances up at the old woman whom stood only a few feet away. She had already given him a few bruises and a knot on his head, he didn't want any more!

This was an unexpected turn of events but nothing which she could not adapt to. Plenty of times during her travels in the Feudal Era the young priestess had ran into someone with more of a story than they cared to admit. A person everyone else had wanted to see as evil but someone whom was simply misunderstood and in need of help and a caring hand. This boy most definitely needed them and she believed him even if the elderly woman behind her clearly did not.

"Why don't we go back to the camp, okay? I think we still have some food left you can nibble on" She told him, motioning with her hand slowly while giving a small smile. It was like coaxing a once docile but now wild dog back home. She needed to know what all had happened while she was away. Where had Inuyasha gone? Had Shippo seen any of the others? Had he done bad things without meaning to?

The boy was cautious as he stepped out into the dull light of the night, finally illuminating his still young form. Scars were evident on his bare shoulders and down his upper arms, as if something had grabbed onto him and tried to drag him downwards. He looked tired, as if sleep had not come to him in a while and while there was more muscle definition than what had been, he was far too skinny.

"Come on, you know you can trust me" Kagome comforted, reaching out and slowly wrapping an arm around his shoulders then slowly pulling the fox demon close as she began to lead him back from where they had come from. It might not be safe out here and something could have heard them during their altercation, he might be able to escape but her and Kaede needed to be somewhere safe until sunrise.

It did not take the three of them long to get back to the rocky outcropping and then into the crevice, however it would seem the oldest of their trio had no interest in sharing the small space with their new addition. The old woman plopped herself down at the entrance, laying her staff across her lap while watching the two closely. There was nothing either of them would be able to say to change her mind for now. What had the boy done to deserve such treatment?

There wasn't much already prepared so the young woman retried her bag from the boy whom had been kind enough to carry it back, then rifled through it before handing him a couple of plastic wrapped snack cakes. "You can have these and then in the morning we will feed you something more substantial" She instructed, hearing a disgruntled sound coming from the entrance of the cave yet choosing to ignore it. Kaede might not have been happy but that did not matter right now, this boy was their only chance at learning something about the outside world.

Shippo devoured into the food, further evidence that it had been a while since he last ate. Within five minutes the boy had already taken in everything which was given and had to stop himself from asking for more. It turned her heart to know he had such a rough time while she had been away. "Okay, now that you have something on your stomach, tell me, what happened? You can start anywhere but I need to know, have you seen the others? Where did Inuyasha go?" Kagome asked of him, glancing towards the mouth of the crevice. Why did it seem that the old woman was worried? Uh oh... She had not told her something.

The boy sighed before leaning back against the wall, looking between them both and then pouting. Clearly he did not want to be the bearer of bad news but he owed them something. "Well, when you left everybody changed" He admitted, looking down while brushing around the ashes of the fire with his bare feet, his little claws wiggling around in the warm dirt. It was a soothing feeling. "Miroku became distant, Sango became more harsh, Inuyasha was moody as hell and even Kirara was harder to ride, we all kept thinking you would return and when it was finally decided you would not... Things just fell apart" He was struggling to talk about it, not only because of his own pain but for the pain he knew it would cause Kagome. He had been able to work for years to get past not having his friends, she was having to face the reality of them not being here now.

"Miroku was the first to go, it broke Sango's heart but one day we woke up and he had departed leaving her a simple message, whatever was on there made her very angry and she went on a rampage for over a week, killing any demons she could find, none of us could calm her down and then one day, Kirara ran off, Inuyasha said it was because she saw Sango as her friend and with the girl going, ahem, bat shit insane, Kirara didn't want to be around for it" Shippo admitted, biting down on his bottom lip before sighing softly.

"Inuyasha was the next to leave, he left me with Sango and Kaede while stating that he needed to resume his journey to become a full demon, it was like he just stopped caring one day, I tried to talk to him but next thing I knew he took off, Me and Sango looked for him for over a month but it was like he had vanished, she tried to take me to her village but the slayers there were uncomfortable with me being around, demons were attacking more often and they did not trust me" He informed her before a voice from the entrance suddenly silenced him.

"Now, don't ye tell no sob story, I welcome you back to my village, in fact, I remembered saying that I needed you there after the winter drought, you are the one which ran off and then upon your return brought those ruffians who-" Kaede stopped herself, glancing to Kagome before looking down and then away in an almost mimicked motion the the fox demon would do. Clearly there was something she did not want to talk about in front of the young priestess, something she was worried would hurt her more.

"It is okay" Kagome stated, reaching out and taking Shippo's hand in her own while looking down at the boy. There was no telling what he was to say next and she knew it might be hard to handle but she would fix it. That was why she had returned to the Feudal Era and she would not shy away. Things were bound to have changed and everything was going to be hard for a while but if she could bring peace to these lands then she would. That was what mattered. Right?

"I heard that Inuyasha found a way to become a full demon" That statement had been one she was expecting and yet one which caused her heart to run cold for a moment. On some level, she had expected he would do such a thing without her being around but the realization that he truly had was difficult to swallow. But, she put on a brave face and motioned for him to continue. She did not want to make this harder on the boy than she needed to.

"Well, I went out looking for him and I got lost, it had been a long time since I was last out on my own, I ended up running into this group of demons who seemed nice, I mean they fed me and did not eat me so that is always a plus now a days, I thought it would be good to bring them back to Kaede's village, maybe they would help with things because some people had died during the winter and it was getting harder to tend the area, but when they got there they-" "They attacked and killed good people, friends of mine, he was foolish for bringing a horde of demons onto our doorstep and yes, after the monsters were defeated I sent him off, he could not be trusted because he attacked and killed a human" Kaede finished for him, the woman tapping the end of her staff against the ground as she glared at him once more.

Shippo had killed someone? Surely not. He had helped to defeat a few demons before but never had they killed an innocent human being, perhaps it had been one of the older creatures and her mentor was mistaken? But, as Kagome looked to him and saw the deep look of guilt and sadness in the boy's eyes she knew better than to think it had not been him. Slowly a tear moved down his cheek while Shippo brought his knees to his chest.

"Grandma won't believe me but the demons didn't attack first, we brought gifts and I was going to help everyone to get along, but one of the farmers lost it, he started screaming and shouting, before I knew it one of my friends got stabbed with a hay fork... I tried to calm them down but they lost it and things just went crazy from there" It was clear he intentionally avoided the fact that he had taken a life. He looked so ashamed and hurt by his own actions that the young priestess reached out and brought him close, laying his head on her shoulder.

"Ssh, it is okay, I am here now, alright? This time I won't be going anywhere" Kagome comforted him, placing her hand on his head. Slowly his shoulders began to shaake as sobs racked through the boy's form, he curled up close to her and she held him as he cried, trying her best to chase away his bad emotions. Kaede just sat there and watched them, her eyes no longer angry but wise before she slowly moved and then turned her back to the two, staring out the mouth of the cave. There were a couple of complex emotions on her face, clearly she was trying to decide whether she could remain angry with the boy or not.

"It is late and we should be quiet, go to sleep the both of you, I will keep watch" The old woman ordered, leaning back against a stone without looking back to either of them. She needed the next few hours to decide what step they would take with Shippo. He could not be trusted and yet her soft heart remember the boy whom had begun to call her grandmother before his departure. Yet, the knowledge of his sin was fresh and even if humans had started the battle there was a necessary prejudice towards demons that she had been taught as a child. Inuyasha, Koga and the others had been different but had they not all returned to a dark path? Hopefully she would not need to discuss the wolf demon's fate with Kagome any time soon.

Kagome looked to her mentor before glancing back down to the boy and sighing. She knew there was some truth in that they would probably both need rest if they were to do anything in the morning. But, part of her was worried the boy might leave as she brought her knees up next to him and cradled her head on her shoulder. That did not matter right now. It seemed that even though she had been gone five years, a mother figures ability to comfort never truly left.

-Dawn-

The sun had just begun to illuminate the sky, casting away the darkness and giving a dull blue shade to the clouds as the stars had begun to vanish one after the other in quick succession. The cave was quiet except for the soft sounds of Kagome sleeping, then a light rustle was heard as Shippo removed her arm from around him and slowly moved to stand. The boy was as quiet as possible as he started to make his way to the mouth of the entrance, thinking the old woman would be asleep. However, he was wrong and should have known better.

"If she wakes up and you are not here then it will distress her and I will see fit to kill you afterwards" Kaede stated simply, causing him to give a startled jump while she shushed him from the opening of the crevice. It seemed that she had been resolute in keeping watching, after her student had fallen asleep next to the boy she had kept a focused on the area around them. Perhaps, because she thought the fox demon might have been lying?

The look of guilt in Shippo's eyes was enough to signal his intentions as the boy slowly walked forward before standing next to her. It did not matter if the old woman hit him any more. "I don't know if I belong here" He admitted, keeping his head down before moving his gaze to the sky above them. It was hard to look her in the eyes for obvious reasons.

"I don't think ye do, but now you are here and she is relieved to have you back, even if you bring bad news, will you really run off because you be selfish?" The elderly priestess asked him, her tone a matter of fact as she raised an eyebrow at him before shaking her head. "We taught you better than this, say what you want about the demon attack upon my village but you already had a family, a grandmother whom you abandoned when she needed you most, what choices ye made are your fault and only you can atone for them" She stated, leaning back with a sigh.

"If ye think I will stop ye then you are wrong, I don't trust you and Kagome needn't do so either, I just would think you not so much a coward that you would eat her food and then take her comfort before vanishing on her during her sleep, how did it feel when she disappeared on you? When Miroku did it and then Inuyasha? At least the dog demon said goodbye" She mentioned. Her motives were always her own and yet it seemed as if for a moment she was trying to guilt him into staying.

The fox demon cast a guilty and sad look into the cave, knowing full well that the old woman was right and that what he was doing was due to his own shame. But, that did not stop him from stepping out of the mouth of the cave and then hopping down onto the rocks. What he didn't expect was what the woman would say next.

"I went looking for ye when ye left, I heard ye talking to your friends and saying how humans could not be trusted, don't think for a moment you were the only one who's heart was broken by your actions" Kaede said, turning and then picking herself up before hobbling into the cave to sit next to Kagome. She knew the girl would be distressed upon waking up and realizing that the boy was no longer with them.

Shippo clasped his hands tightly in front of himself, looking down at his claws before sighing and then leaping off of the rock. He had always thought his family had abandoned him and forced him out into the world. But, the woman was right, he had been the one to run off and go make the choices he did. People had died because of him and he had shamed not only himself but his parents and friends.

Kagome was better off without him in her life to mess things up.

-Around nine in the morning-

Kagome begun to stir when the sun took a good place in the sky, warming the cave and sending comforting breezes in which caused her to open her eyes. She had been surprised that Shippo was not with them upon waking up and had looked to her mentor for answers but the old woman simply shook her head while casting the girl a slightly saddened look.

He had left during the night? But, why? She had tried to make him feel better and they were supposed to go traveling to find the others. As the two prepared for their morning trek they were quiet, each just helping the other prepare their things before both women exited out of the cave at the same time. The sun was warm and large fluffy white clouds offered welcomed shade as the two made their way down the rocks.

"I got some fish! Hey, where are you guys going? You already took down the fire? Aw man" Shippo stated, suddenly appearing from the woods in front of them as both women gave him a look of surprise. Three small fish were hanging from a small line which he had draped across his shoulder as the boy looked up to them with curious eyes and then tilted his head to the side. "Are we going? Want me to grab something?" He asked, reaching out and taking one of the bags from Kaede before turning and then motioning with his head. "Let's go" He stated cheerfully.

It would seem that he had changed his mind upon reaching the other end of the forest. It would have been easy to run away from his guilt and to hide out, letting it slowly eat away at him like it had been. But, Kagome was here and she needed him. Hell, the old woman still cared even if she had tried to hide it which meant that he needed to be with them and protect them. After all, they were family.

"Yeah, let's go" Kagome stated with a smile as he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder while smiling happily and then leading the way. Kaede hobbled up to him as well, the old woman casting the boy a cryptic glance before continuing on forward. He would need to prove himself for her to trust him but at least her student would be happy to have one of the old friends along. Granted, he most likely would not be any real help, look at how small those fish were.

"So, where are we go?" Shippo asked curiously, running along after the two with his small line of fish dangling across his back and the bag on his shoulder. It would seem that some of his old cheer was coming out and the smile on his face was sign that he was happier than he had been in a long while. Years, perhaps. "There is a small Sanctuary which Kaede heard of, we are going there" Kagome mentioned, glancing back to him when the boy suddenly stopped.

"Uh oh, so you didn't hear?" Was not something she had been wanting to hear...

End Chapter.

((A/N: And Scene. Yay, Shippo joins the group! I have been so looking forward to bringing him in and the boy is sure to have a few new tricks in his sleeves. How did you like the chapter? I do hope you enjoyed it. I am already begin preparations on Chapter Nine which should be out by Sunday if all things work out. Now, I have chores to do and I do not want to get in trouble so I will be running off here. I hope to see you all in the next installment, have a great day.~))

Chapter Nine, The Curse of Uriya (Pt2), Preview:

-The smalls huts had been burned down leaving an ashen mess of small metal tools and boards which had been too big to burn down all the way. You could still see the signs of where life had been striving just a few days before and now, there was not a soul around but the three of them. "What happened?" Kagome asked, standing there with a distressed look upon her face then slowly moving forward. This complicated things.

"No one really knows, I would come here to trade fish for vegetables and then about a week ago I was on my way and heard screaming, when I got here the place was a ghost town and the huts were burning, after that I ran away because I didn't want to be blamed for it" Shippo explained, casting a wary glance over his shoulder as the eldest of their trio rummaged through one of the burned down huts. He knew this would not look good on him considering his past.

"I sense many restless souls here, they died suddenly and violently, yet something is odd, it is like they were displaced from their bodies" Kaede told them, bent over as she picked up an old iron fork then tossed it to the side. "Whatever came through here was quick and merciless, I care to know what it was" She explained, stepping out of the burned mess before approaching the other two.

"She is probably right, Kagome, there is nothing here now and we should go before whatever did this comes back" Shippo stated, looking around worriedly. The way the breeze tossed the ash up into the air creating a small cloud was disconcerting. Whatever did this was big and he didn't know if even with the other two they could defeat it if it found them.

The young priestess, however, was distracted as she bent down and retrieved a small piece of wood which had not been burned in the fire oddly. She inspected it and brushed away some of the dirt before noticing a small black symbol on it which seemed to radiate a strange aura. "I don't think a demon did this" She mentioned absently, staring down at the small marking curiously. It look like two spears which crossed over the top of a triangle. Why did it feel as if she had seen this before?

The cracking a of stick behind them caused all three to suddenly spin around before taking a step back. Uh Oh... "Hey, boys, look here, it would seem some uncooked dinner has wandered up! Good, I was craving something for lunch" A large ogre demon appeared, towering nearly five feet taller than Kagome as it hoisted up the large, bloody limb which it used as a club. A moment later a small impish creature about Shippo's size with black wings and a six eyed snake demons appeared as well.

This was not good...-


	9. The Curse of Uriya (pt2)

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Howdy, I hope you are having a great day. Phew, I managed to somehow get myself sick so I am just lying in bed unable to do anything else. It was either play video games or write and so, well, honestly I decided to do both, haha. ^.^ Over the next few chapters I plan on things getting very exciting and informative. Let us just hope that our little trio can make it through what is coming. After all, with yet another added to their ranks that means the food will last for an even shorter period. I hope Kagome knows what she is doing~! Now, on to the chapter.~))

Chapter Eight

The Curse of Uriya (pt2)

"How do we know that it wasn't ye little group of demons that caused the destruction of Sanctuary? It is an odd coincidence that you are here and bad things similar to that which took place in my village happened" Kaede stated openly, hobbling behind the other two. If she didn't know any better than the elderly woman would have assumed they were purposefully keeping a pace that she could not match. Well, that was because they were but she did not need to know that.

Shippo had proceeded to inform them earlier that he had arrived at the new settlement not even a moth ago to find it utterly destroyed. While the younger of the two women felt free to believe him the oldest had her doubts and was always the sort to voice them. "I got me bow and if ye have any little friends lurking around then I shall shoot em or whap em, just try me" The old priestess shouted, grumbling as she hobbled faster while trying to come up behind them.

"Oh, come on, Kaede-sama, I have already explained myself earlier, I really promise that I had not part in this, I wouldn't ever lead Kagome into a dangerous situation, you should know that" Shippo stated, admiration in his tone as he glanced up to the young priestess beside him and then smiled. The boy was changing right before her eyes and she could see his old personality shining through. It surprised her to know that she brought such hope to the fox demon. After all, had it not always been Inuyasha whom had saved the day?

"I heard that, the purposeful exclusion of my name, maybe that is why you have her going so much faster, eh? You are going to have a trap fall on my head, well, I think not!" Suddenly the old woman blew past them, hobbling as fast as she could while her staff made a little 'tok tok tok' sound every time it met the ground. The comical sight cause the boy to smile before giggling softly and covering his mouth. "Kaede-sama..." He said her name in a slightly annoyed tone before shaking his head and then glancing up when he heard the girl next to him sigh.

While her two companions (three if you counted the frog which was currently slumbering in the bag on her shoulder) conversed, Kagome was staring off in front of herself with a blank worried stare. If Shippo was right then that meant the place where they were going to stock up no longer existed. That complicated things greatly and she would not be the one to draw down their moods by saying so. Even with the boy's talent for catching small fish, they would not be near rivers and creeks all the time. Especially when they started on their way to the Demon Hunter's village. Perhaps, they should head back home? It might have been wiser to stock up more and tell her mother that she is doing well. But, the idea of going back now didn't set well with her. No, they had to push on ahead. She had found one of her friends in only a day's time of her journey, she had to locate the others and make sure they were okay.

"Bleh!" The sound suddenly caught her off-guard as the young priestess looked downwards and was met with the fox demons face. He had his eyelids pulled open with his tongue sticking out as he fluffed out his tail in a hilarious fashion. The sight caused a smile to form on her face before she laughed softly and then reached out, patting his head lightly.

"Come on, Kagome, cheer up, even if we don't find anything up ahead we will make it somewhere else, focus on the good" He coached her along, reaching up and taking her hand as they watched the old woman in front of them purposefully stop before matching the pace when she came between them and separated their joined hands. "There, now I am safe, if it falls on my head then it will surely smash you both to bits as well" Kaede said simply, drawing annoyed looks from her other two companions.

"Actually, I am probably young enough to jump out of the way if I heard something falling, it wouldn't be the first time" The young woman muttered under her breath, leaping to the side when the older of the two suddenly swung down her staff. "Was that a jest about my age? I already told you, if anything I am younger you petulant child!" Kaede shouted, swinging her weapon and catching Shippo across the head while charging after the girl. The frog suddenly appeared out of Kagome's bag, frightened he was going to be flattened by the crazy lady chasing them as he hopped off to the side and went over to sit on the dazed fox demon's back.

It was these comical moments which prepared her for the reality of what dangers the Feudal Era offered. Especially when the group reached their destination and bore witness to what the boy had described...

The smalls huts had been burned down leaving an ashen mess of small metal tools and boards which had been too big to burn down all the way. You could still see the signs of where life had been striving just a few days before and now, there was not a soul around but the three of them. "What happened?" Kagome asked, standing there with a distressed look upon her face then slowly moving forward. This complicated things.

"No one really knows, I would come here to trade fish for vegetables and then about a week ago I was on my way and heard screaming, when I got here the place was a ghost town and the huts were burning, after that I ran away because I didn't want to be blamed for it" Shippo explained, casting a wary glance over his shoulder as the eldest of their trio rummaged through one of the burned down huts. He knew this would not look good on him considering his past.

"I sense many restless souls here, they died suddenly and violently, yet something is odd, it is like they were displaced from their bodies" Kaede told them, bent over as she picked up an old iron fork then tossed it to the side. "Whatever came through here was quick and merciless, I care to know what it was" She explained, stepping out of the burned mess before approaching the other two.

"She is probably right, Kagome, there is nothing here now and we should go before whatever did this comes back" Shippo stated, looking around worriedly. The way the breeze tossed the ash up into the air creating a small cloud was disconcerting. Whatever did this was big and he didn't know if even with the other two they could defeat it if it found them.

The young priestess, however, was distracted as she bent down and retrieved a small piece of wood which had not been burned in the fire oddly. She inspected it and brushed away some of the dirt before noticing a small black symbol on it which seemed to radiate a strange aura. "I don't think a demon did this" She mentioned absently, staring down at the small marking curiously. It look like two spears which crossed over the top of a triangle. Why did it feel as if she had seen this before?

The cracking a of stick behind them caused all three to suddenly spin around before taking a step back. Uh Oh... "Hey, boys, look here, it would seem some uncooked dinner has wandered up! Good, I was craving something for lunch" A large ogre demon appeared, towering nearly five feet taller than Kagome as it hoisted up the large, bloody limb which it used as a club. A moment later a small impish creature about Shippo's size with black wings and a six eyed snake demons appeared as well.

This was not good...

Kagome glanced to her two friends, the girl's eyes wide as they all nodded their heads to each other. Calm yourself, focus and get ready. Slowly she took the bow from her back before easily notching an arrow on its string and then looking up to the demons in front of her. "Don't be afraid, girl, channel your power" Kaede instructed, doing the same with her own bow while Shippo rustled around before suddenly producing two yo-yo shaped circular toys. Those looked different from what he used to use as a child.

"What is this? Two ugly hags and their demon bitch boy things they can best the great Aigo and his compatriots? Hah! We have been feasting on this area for over two weeks now, I remember catching the scent of your little demon friend, I am not much for small meals but we can always hang him up later for a furry snack" The ogre announced, setting himself as the leader while stepping forward and hoisting up the limb he intended to smash them with. "Now, whom shall I eat first? I think it will be-" "I am not an ugly hag!"

The annoyed, pissed off statement had caught Aigo off-guard as the ogre raised an eyebrow before focusing his gaze on the taller of the two women. Kagome stood there, a dull blue power beginning to gather in the tip of her arrow as she glared at the large demon in front of her. "Don't you know it is rude to call someone an ugly hag!?" She shouted, her eyes suddenly taking on an almost ethereal glow. Inuyasha used to call her that when they fought. Only he could get away with saying such a thing! It was as if in that moment all of her memories flooded to the forefront of her mind. Every time a demon like this had made her feel frightened and useless as she had been forced to watch her friends risk their lives while she sat off to the side. No longer, she was a victim no longer, dammit!

Before Aigo could make another move the young priestess let her arrow fly, the whole projectile glowing brilliantly as it flung through the air toward its target. He brought up his limb to block it but as the arrow met the wood this was revealed to have been just a narrow escaped. The weapon exploded in a brilliant display of power and force, a shock wave emitting from where it had met the limb which sent the demon flying back into a tree while his two companions were tossed off to the side.

"Wow, Kagome! Awesome!" Shippo shouted before quickly stepping forward and then drawing the two small yo yo's he wielded out in front of him. As the snake demon tried to recover from being knocked off to the side the fox demon assumed an annoyed look of his own before he rushed forward. "No one touches my mama! Yo-Yo Yori!" The boy cried out, suddenly leaping upwards as he released the clasp on the circular balls and sent them flying. The once innocent attack now was enveloped in flames as the orbs smacked into the snake, causing it to cry out before being thrown into the same tree as Aigo.

"What is with this nonsense of knocking the damned beasts around? You are supposed to strike the death blow as soon as possible" Kaede complained, rolling her eyes before stepping forward and then glancing to where the imp demon was. It had taken off into the air, recovering faster than its two allies while circling up above them then charging downwards with its claws extended out to grab Kagome. "Ye might just be surviving and I hope ye soul rest in peace but I must banish ye" The elderly priestess stated, raising her bow upwards and targeting the creature. Just like that, the usually bent over and tired looking woman seemed determined, her posture straightening as she channeled a life off archery practice and the old training of her Miko powers before sending the arrow flying. "Purify!" Kaede shouted, the arrow flying at its target and making contact with its chest. The imp was allowed to make a single, tormented cry then, just like that it was gone. Nothing left but ashes which tumbled down upon his friends.

"Oh, shit, Aigo, they killed Keigo! Run man, run!" The snake demon shouted, slithering away from the ogre before taking off into the bushes as Shippo took off after it, leaping over the shrubbery with his yo yos at the ready once more. Aigo was slower to recover as he moved to stand, glaring angrily at the young priestess while a small trail off blood traveled down from his forehead and across the left side of his nose. "Run you coward! I will dine well tonight, hragh!" The beast screamed, rushing forward with its claws extended. His foot falls sounded like thunders and created a shock wave which threw the two women off causing them to stumble backwards.

"Look out!" Kagome shouted, pushing Kaede and causing her to fall behind the wreckage of one of the burned huts. The young woman then turned, quickly leaping off to the side as the ogre brought his fits down into the ground right where she had been. The force of his attack caught her off guard, the winds it threw off causing Kagome to tumble forward before rolling through the dirt and coming to a sliding stop.

That had knocked the air out of her but she did not have long to recover as she heard his loud foot falls approaching once more. The young miko glanced upwards to see Aigo charging towards her once again, his fists brought together with the intent of smashing her into the ground. But, he would not have this chance. Quickly, despite the panicking desiring to consume her, Kagome brought her bow around and then notched an arrow. There was no time to charge it with energy so she went with her basic instincts as that familiar tingle of power filled his body.

"Purification!" She shouted, remembering how she once had done so many years ago. She let the arrow fly through the air, closing her eyes out of fear as the loud stomping came closer and closer. This caused her to be unable to witness what happened next. In fact, no one but the frog which had leaped to the side during the start of the battle was able to witness what really took place.

The girl's arrow met its mark, but only sent a surge of burning energy up Aigo's right shoulder. It would not have been enough to kill him had it not been for what happened next. From somewhere unknown a silver knife was sent flying through the air which connected with the ogre's forehead. A seal, which had been wrapped around the hilt of the projectile, activated upon reaching its mark causing the monster to suddenly burst in flames before falling off to the side. While it seemed like her purification had worked, someone had just saved her life. But, who?

As Aigo laid off to the side, twitching while his whole form was consumed by the fire, Kagome opened her eyes to look at him in shock. Had she done that? Her purification abilities had always been rather weak and yet she had set the monster aflame? She truly must have been growing stronger. "Good job, girl, I am proud of ye and even prouder we did not die!" Kaede suddenly cheered, appearing from behind the burnt hut where the girl had pushed her. She was covered in soot and her face and arms were black as night because of it as the woman tried to smudge away the dirt, ashes and grime.

"Did I not tell ye? Killing blow, always strike with the intent of this being the last ye have to do so" The elderly woman instructed before giving up on trying to clean herself and then hobbling over to the girl. She reached out a hand and helped her up just as Shippo reappeared from the bushes behind them. There was a little scratch on his shoulder, probably something he had earned from rushing through the shrubbery after the snake demon, but other than that he seemed unharmed.

"It got away, I always forget how fast those bastards can be and it vanished into a whole in the ground" The fox demon explained, looking distressed while quickly approaching his companions. "You did awesome, Kagome, since when can you do that sort of thing?" He asked, leaping forward and hugging her excitedly while adrenaline coursed through his system from having survived the battle. Usually he had to hide from stronger demons but the three of them had done well.

"I, well, I don't know, I guess I am growing stronger" She explained, though her tone seemed uncertain. None of her abilities had ever hinted towards being able to set a target on fire and yet, she had somehow done so now? It just seemed odd. It didn't feel like something she would have been able to do. "Of course ye are getting stronger, that blast was quite impressive" Kaede complimented, drawing her away from her thoughts as the old woman sighed. "Now, we need to rummage through for what we can and get moving, that snake demon could bring more allies and I care not for anymore excitement today" The old woman instructed while stepping off to the ruins of one of the huts and beginning to pick through it. She was a mess anyways so there was no need to worry about getting dirtier.

"Yeah, you are right, we got a few minutes and then I will lead us to the river I like to fish in, there we can shower and our scent will be obscured so nothing can follow" Shippo explained, showing how his mind had turned more logical as he joined Kaede in her search for useful materials. But, something caught the group's attention as the three looked off to the side.

Their fourth companion, coming to be known as "Little Frog" was leaping around in circles, waving its little arms and ribbiting loudly. It hopped over to them quickly before beginning to circle Kagome. If only they could understand what it was trying to tell them! Someone had thrown a knife! There was another person out there that could mean them harm! But, alas, they could not.

"He is either cheering for ye or frantic, poor thing, put him in ye bag with a little snack to calm his nerves" The elderly woman told her as Kagome leaned over and picked the small amphibian up. She pet its head to try and calm it while observing its actions. But, there was nothing she could really learn despite feelings as if it was trying to tell them something. What she did note, however, was the odd color of its eyes. Did frogs even have blue eyes? The frog seemed to notice her curious glance and peered up at her as well. For just a moment, she swore that this creature reminded her of something. But, she couldn't figure out what the hell it might have been. "Here buddy, eat this" She told him, breaking off a piece of a snack cake which had been in her bag before putting him back inside it. The frog let out a complaining "ribbit" and then a moment later she could hear him munching down on his snack.

The whole battle had only lasted maybe five minutes at most and yet had blown by quicker than ever. Just like that, the trio of heroes had decided that they would be victorious and not just another set of victims killed by the demons. It was a surreal feeling which Kagome had to admit was something new to her. When she had traveled with Inuyasha, a win in battle became expected. They had a demon with an enchanted sword, a demon slayer with an anger problem, a priest with a large portal in his hand... At some point, she had stopped appreciating the actual danger their lives brought. After all, other than Naraku, whom had really ever bested them? If they were beaten then they would recover. But, that wasn't the case now. One mistake now and she was dead. Kaede would be dead and Shippo too.

But, she now had abilities which brought her use. The young priestess was doing things that would make even her old dog demon companion raise an eyebrow. Her very arrows could blast a foe away and she just had made a demon burst into flame! It threatened to fill her with confidence and yet... Oddly, she felt kind of sad. Aigo and his friend had suffered painful deaths at her and her teacher's hand. It was strange but her heart actually felt bad for the demons, wishing they had not attacked.

"Ye still have innocence within ye" Kaede stated softly, sitting off to the side as she had a small collection of things she had taken from the burned building. Mainly just a few small iron tools she would have to disinfect before using. Kagome hesitated before trying to join her only to have her hands brushed away when she went down on one knee, the old woman shaking her head. "No, you must rest, you use up a lot of energy during these battles, just breath and contemplate what this fight really was" The elderly priestess explained, patting her hand and getting soot on it before going back to her rummaging.

"What do you mean?" She asked, wiping off the back of her hand before moving to sit next to her mentor, drawing her knees up to her chest as she stared to where the two bodies have been. There was nothing left of Aigo or his imp ally, the two were ashes in the wind and would never be seen again. "The world changes people, Kagome, yet it has not changed you, some people might see this as bad but it is a good thing, ye still see a person's worth, you are not jaded enough to accept when a life must be taken, that is what makes you a good priestess" She was instructed, the girl looking curiously to the woman next to her.

"When my sister died, I became angry, an anger which filled my soul and consumed me, I thought it could give me power but it weakened me, it made it impossible for me to see such things as Shippo's possible innocence or the guidance that Inuyasha really needed, I feel no pity for demons anymore and yet I wish I could, that care you have for them, that belief that they are not just blood hungry monsters... It is naive and yet innocent, feel good that you consider them even after death, most would not, but do not regret what you had to do, our lives were threatened and we fought back, it is nothing to be ashamed of" Kaede explained, finishing her cryptic lesson as the woman suddenly moved to stand.

"Time is up, the demons could be on their way so we must get moving" The old woman stated, turning suddenly while placing a few of the small utensils she had collected into her bag. It was mainly a few forks, spoons and knives that Kagome honestly did not know if she could bring herself to use for eating. There was also a small hammer, nothing of real use. There was no point in staying in Sanctuary longer.

After Shippo had returned the trio set out to get away from the village, however, upon reaching the outskirts, the young priestess had called for the others to halt. She hesitated and then brought her hands together, praying for the peace and comfort of the deceased so that their souls would not be tormented. The old woman and fox demon joined her, the three standing side by side. Yet, something was so odd. It was as if she could not sense any spirits around the village. With the sudden way the people had died, it should have been teaming with spiritual energies and yet not a single one was sensed by her. Odd...

Kaede did not seem to register this, if she had then the elderly priestess said nothing as they all set off towards the river. It was not long before they were far enough away from Sanctuary to feel comfortable. But, the young woman found herself thinking back to that piece of wood she had found. The odd marking on it which had seemed so familiar. Where had she seen two spears crossed over a triangle before? It felt like it meant something, but what?

"When we get to the river, I look forward to soaking my aching bones" The eldest of their group muttered, hobbling along while drawing Kagome's attention. Sometimes, she wondered about the old woman. She seemed weak and yet the strength she could exude when threatened was impressive. She had seen her earlier, wielding the bow like a champion. There was not doubt in her mind that Kaede had more to offer than what she had realized before. The woman was not just a teacher and had more power than her modesty cared to admit.

"Eyuck, if you do then bathe somewhere far down from me, I mean really far, I don't wanna turn to stone by seeing you naked, bleh! Aah!" Shippo's complaining was shut down when the old woman struck out at him causing the fox demon to take off with her following closely behind him. The comedy of the situation made Kagome smile and yet for some reason the cheer never reached her soul.

Why dd it feel like that battle had left her with more questions than anything? Unlike her companions, she had the overwhelming feeling that the mystery or what happened at Sanctuary needed to be solved. Something about the whole situation had been ready to occur to her before the demons had attacked and distracted her. Why were there no bodies? No spirits? It was unrealistic to believe that the people had evacuated. Though, she did remember Sango once explaining that when a village had surpassed its usefulness it was burned down so the demons would not take up residence in the homes after they were abandoned. But, even this explanation did not settle her mind. There had been no proof of demon slayers owning the village. Too many questions with not an answer to a single one. Maybe Aigo had destroyed the place and ate the bodies? But, still, that would have meant upon his death the souls would have been released-

'You are in danger!'

The ethereal voice spoke softly, disrupting Kagome from her thoughts as she stopped and then looked around. The voice had been so soft, like a whisper on the wind that she could not really admit whether she heard something or not. Was her mind just playing tricks on her? After all, that had been her first really big battle, maybe she was shell shocked and worrying too much over mysteries she could not answer?

Kaede and Shippo were still up ahead, the two chasing each other around and making jests before the old woman would swing her staff out. This time she caught the boy right on his shoulder and sent him to the ground before proceeding to sit on him and pin him there, the fox demon crying out for mercy and making a comment about her weight which clearly was not appreciated as she proceeded to smush his face into the ground. They seemed to sense nothing. Maybe it was just her imagination then?

The young priestess shrugged, sighing softly before reaching up to rub her forehead. She could use a good, long bath to get the grime and dirt off her body and washing her clothes did sound amazing. Hopefully her mother had packed some detergent she could use. That thought made her smile, remembering how surprised Inuyasha had been when she washed his kimono for the first time. He had also been shy, hiding in the bushes the entire time and demanding her her to toss his clothes over to him when she was done. But, quickly she pushed away such thoughts, blushing darkly as she looked to the ground. This was no time for that!

Night would be coming faster than she desired so Kagoime rushed up to join her friends, helping Shippo up once the old woman got off of them before calming their fight down and then letting the boy lead the way once more. They had won their first battle and should be happy. Little did they know that it would not be the only battle they fought that day...

End Chapter.

((A/N:There we go! Yet another wonderful chapter! I have got to say, I love the action in this one. Kagome is really coming to learn some good tricks and she will only get stronger with time. But, oh, we have so many questions, don't we? What happened in Sanctuary? Whom through the dagger which dispelled Aigo? What will happen to our band of heroes when night comes? Well, you will just have to tune in next time to find out. I am sick so my post timing is a little slow, I do apologize. But, I am fighting the flu with all my power and I look forward to seeing you in chapter nine. Toodaloo for now ~))

Chapter Nine, The Curse of Uriya (Pt23), Preview:

-"Kaede? Shippo!? Where are you? Speak to me!" Kagome shouted, fear filling her as she ran down the side of the river bank. The shadows came alive behind her, reaching out with clawed hands and tentacles while trying to grasp her and pull the young priestess in. She threw out her hands, another ball of light forming in the air which dispelled the darkness and pushed it back. But, the girl knew she could not keep doing this!

She heard the sounds of scuffling in front of her and could still see where their fire was up ahead, how had she gotten so far away from it? Flames burst from one side which seemed like Shippo while a dull blue blast of power shinned from the other, that must have been Kaede. But, why were they not answering her? "Guys? Talk to me! Why are you not answering?" She demanded, rushing forward. However, just as the neared the flames a sudden force repealed her back and caused her to stumble down, her knees becoming scrapped in the process.

"What? Kaede!? Shippo!?" She asked, reaching forward. An invisible force kept her from her friends, the two not seeming to notice Kagome as they stood close to the bright light of the fire and used their abilities to force the shadows back. "The flame boy! Stay close to it if you value your life, the darkness cannot reach us here" The old woman shouted, basting away one of the shadow bound creatures as it tried to press forward but was repelled by the light.

Why could they not see her? What was going on!? Kagome slammed her hand against the strange force field, desperate to get her friends attention before a sudden blast of wind caught her from behind and made her turn around. The forest was unnaturally dark, the moonlight seemingly nonexistent despite the new moon having past. The trees curled down towards her and their branches reached out like evil clawed hands as she created a ball of power and forced them back.

"I am Uriya, mistress of the wood, you have intruded upon my territory human and must suffer for your transgressions! You are in my world now and I will feast upon your soul" The soft, almost teasing voice uttered causing the young priestess to gasp before she glanced back to her friends. What had they not heard what the voice said? Why could they not see her?

"You are in my realm now, first you and then your allies, now.. I shall dine" The being whispered, a being appearing from the shadows while slowly stepping forward. Her body was cloaked in twigs and branches which were stained with old blood, her eyes were a dark red. She held the appearance a spriggan and yet gave off a strong demonic aura as she reached out towards her prey.

Kagome could not reach her bow! It was next to the fire. She knew not what was going on but chose to cease hesitating before she dodging off to the side and ran into the woods once more. She had to figure out what was going on! "Run as fast as you can, little miko, you are in my world now and I will feast upon your soul before the night is done" Uriya whispered, vanishing into the mist as the fox demon and old woman continued to repel back the shadows. They shouted for Kagome but would get no response...

The girl was with the mistress of the wood now...-


	10. The Curse of Uriya (pt3)

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((.~))

Chapter Ten

The Curse of Uriya (pt3)

It was so strange preparing to take a bath in a river. She had done so many times before but that had been during her travels and only because bath houses and hot springs were not common in the Feudal Era. Even at home Kagome had abstained from swimming with her brother in summer time or joining her mother at the spa, she was too thankful for her bathtub to waste time elsewhere. However, as she gathered her things necessary for a good washing the only thing on her mind was getting clean.

Kaede had already gone down to the river. The poor old woman had been covered in soot and dirt from head to toe and after Shippo had made a statement involving the fact that she was covered in dead people the elderly priestess had made a bee line for the river without pause. Now, she had returned and was brushing out her long, wet hair while sitting next to the fire. The sun had begun its steady descent through the sky and it would be dark soon.

"Aren't you going to take a bath?" She asked curiously, her question towards the male member of their group whom seemed to be busy trying to get his fish to cook. It seemed that the cooking lessons he had been taught never stuck. However, upon that being said the fox demon looked up before his ears flattened against the back of his head and he blushed lightly. Oh, he was shy? "Nah, I am good, I will do it later" He told her, offering a reassuring smile then returning his focus to his food. Oh, that was right, he was far too old to join her for a bath now. That had been silly of her to suggest.

"Disgusting, just like that dog demon" Kaede mumbled, glaring back at the boy when he sent a mean look her way. Half the time the two were teasing and paling around then next thing you know they hated each other all over again. But, if there was anything Kagome knew it was that these things would work themselves out in time. After all, they both had lost people in that fight at the village and it was hard to ask them to forget their friends and make up. In all honesty, though she would never say it in front of her mentor, wondered if the demons actually had attacked or if the humans had taken the initiative. Something about the stories didn't add up and she would never think her friends were lying.

"Well, I am going to the river then, you two be good and try not to kill each other" She ordered, taking her small basket of shampoo and conditioner before giving them both a look and then turning and heading on her way. She heard the two mumbling back and forth lowly and knew that most likely she would be able to hear them fighting soon. They were like children, though one of them technically was. Hopefully it would not get too infuriating as they progressed.

The river was wide and beautiful, the waters were opalescent and clear showing that no demons had moved through recently. She hated having to bathe in muddy waters because you always came back feeling dirtier than when you got in. She kicked off her shoes and stuck her toes into the cool water before sighing in relief and glancing around. It did not seem that there was anyone there and after making doubly sure the young priestess began to remove her clothing.

It was surprising how much her body had changed over the years. She had grown stronger and her skin had become somewhat fairer due to a daily moisturizing routine she had started up a few years back. However, no one was perfect. There were scars on her shoulders and lower back where a demon had gotten a hold off her once. Inuyasha had screamed at her for hours after saving her yet she knew he had just been frightened. Why couldn't he have seen that he truly did care about others?

As she slowly walked into the river, shivering from the cold sting of the cool rapids Kagome forced those thoughts away. While she missed him and desired nothing more than to see him again something kept her from opening her heart. He had become a full demon according to Shippo and that meant he had changed. He would no longer be the dog demon she had known and even then, there was still so much they would have to work out. The woman was learning that she had to be tougher, especially where he was concerned. Even if he was trapped by some with, being a full demon could make him dangerous. Who knew what would happen when they saved him?

Sighing she rolled her eyes, knowing she had just tried to convince herself not to think about this before the young priestess suddenly dove into the cool waters. The rush that was given to her bare skin relaxed her as she resurfaced and then floated around for a moment then making her way back to the edge and fetching her basket. Kaede had always taught them that it was safer to use non-scented shampoos in the wild, luckily it was something she had kept going and what she used on her hair was more generic and simple. However, even with the soothing, cleaning relaxing of washing her hair Kagome found her thoughts drifting.

They were heading to Sango's village soon. Why did she feel so apprehensive? It wasn't like she had abandoned her friend on purpose. What had happened between the demon slayer and Miroku? More than likely the perverted priest had been unable to keep his hands to himself and finally she had become fed up. Had they gotten married before this all happened? Her lack of knowledge to these events pained her. She had missed so much. Shippo growing up, Sango possibly getting married and then helping her through the break up... Maybe Inuyasha would not have made such a decision if she had been with him? It was all so distressing.

Kaede had been preaching that she needed to be more positive but in these moments where she was alone and did not have to worry about the woman sensing her emotions it allowed Kagome to reflect upon herself. It was such a heavy weight, wanting to save the Feudal Era once more. But, this time she had the additional struggle of needing to find all of her friends. It was like a driving force, whispering and demanding her to locate those whom had been precious to was different now. She wanted to show she could survive on her own and be someone they depended on.

After a moment, the young priestess brought her knees up to her chest, leaning over and placing his forehead on them as she closed her eyes and sighed softly. No matter what prayers she sent to the gods she wondered if they were even hearing them. Her little fox demon child had been brought back but even now it was hard to imagine being as close to him as she once had. He had grown up while she was gone and didn't need a mother figure anymore, at least, that was what she thought. Her mentor needed her but could she fulfill the woman's expectations and keep the promise she had made? It didn't matter, even if she failed she would keep fighting and trying to do the right thing.

Instead of wallowing she instead pushed forward, suddenly drawing her legs down and then diving back into the waters once more. She could enjoy her swim and focus on better things, after all, they were already making progress! Shippo was back and now the three of them were going to go get Sango. Together the four of them could set another destination and another until their group was back together and then they would face the witch and save Inuyasha. It was a naive way of thinking, one that did not bring in the consideration that her demon slayer friend might not desire travel. But, even so, she still wanted to show the woman that she was back and would take care of them all once again.

However, distracted by her thoughts Kagome did not notice the dark, ethereal shadows moving across the waters before they settled over her. Then suddenly, the tide became stronger and a burst of water sent her tumbling deeper into the water. She made the mistake of gasping which caused her to take water into her lungs. Forcing herself not to keep choking she covered her mouth and then reached out, digging her hand into the dirt bank and anchoring herself. It had turned pitch black around her, that same strange abyss from her dreams!

The young priestess struggled for a moment before digging both hands into the bank, forcing her to hold her breath as much as possible while a burning sensation formed in her lungs. Slowly she worked her way up the muddy side of the river before finally she broke the surface, gasping loudly for breath and collapsing onto the sandy shore. She coughed and choked for a series of minutes, expelling all the water from her lungs before slowly sitting up and then grasping her forehead. Damn it, why did the gods see fit to knock her down every moment she tried to get back up?

It had turned dark, almost strangely so as she glanced around. When had the sun set? Now the trees were encompassed with shadows so thick that their limbs seemed like creepy tendrils reaching out for her. There were no stars in the sky either and the moon had not risen yet. It didn't make any sense. Her unnerving surroundings drove Kagome to quickly dry off before pulling on her clothes. She grabbed her basket and then set off back towards camp at a steady pace.

Her mother had packed flashlights but not batteries so they had to be sparing with what they had. This meant that when she had set off for the river she had not brought one,, but she had been intent on returning before nightfall. Had she somehow been under water for a long time? No, it could only have been a minute at most. So, where did the sun go? Something was off and it had the hair on the back of her neck standing up. When something reached out for her ankle, the woman screamed in surprise before leaping through the air and dropping her basket. As she looked back she saw what had reached out for her. A small, dark root still crawled towards her along the ground as her eyes widened and she quickly moved back. Wait, hadn't Kaede taught her some form of channeling her energy to create light?

The young priestess brought her hands together, grunting and forcing herself to focus on what she wanted to create while the small root kept moving towards her. After a moment there was a spark and then suddenly between her hands formed a small ball of power which lit up the trees around her. When this happened, the root cringed before retreating into the bushes while she sighed with relief. At least that was something. Now, she needed to get back to her friends! Whatever was going on, it was most certainly a threat!

However, what happened next made her blood run cold. From off towards camp she heard someone cry out, it was Shippo! What was going on? Right at that moment, a tendril shot down from the trees and struck out at Kagome. She leaped back, dodging her head down and then bringing the orbs of light in front of her causing the being, whatever it was, to hide away in the trees once more as she quickly started to rush forward. She was still in the practice phase of channeling her powers and knew the orb would not be with her for long.

As she ran towards camp the roots and shadowy tendrils kept trying to stop her, the woman having to swing her ball of power every which way to cast them back while jumping over their attempts to grab her ankles. It was as if the forest had come alive and she did not want to know what happened if it got a hold of her because it was doubtful it would let go. This is why she liked the city, damn it!

"Kaede? Shippo!? Where are you? Speak to me!" Kagome shouted, fear filling her as she ran down the side of the river bank. The shadows came alive behind her, reaching out with clawed hands and tentacles while trying to grasp her and pull the young priestess in. She threw out her hands, another ball of light forming in the air which dispelled the darkness and pushed it back. But, the girl knew she could not keep doing this!

She heard the sounds of scuffling in front of her and could still see where their fire was up ahead, how had she gotten so far away from it? Flames burst from one side which seemed like Shippo while a dull blue blast of power shinned from the other, that must have been Kaede. But, why were they not answering her? "Guys? Talk to me! Why are you not answering?" She demanded, rushing forward. However, just as the neared the flames a sudden force repealed her back and caused her to stumble down, her knees becoming scrapped in the process.

"What? Kaede!? Shippo!?" She asked, reaching forward. An invisible force kept her from her friends, the two not seeming to notice Kagome as they stood close to the bright light of the fire and used their abilities to force the shadows back. "The flame boy! Stay close to it if you value your life, the darkness cannot reach us here" The old woman shouted, basting away one of the shadow bound creatures as it tried to press forward but was repelled by the light.

Why could they not see her? What was going on!? Kagome slammed her hand against the strange force field, desperate to get her friends attention before a sudden blast of wind caught her from behind and made her turn around. The forest was unnaturally dark, the moonlight seemingly nonexistent despite the new moon having past. The trees curled down towards her and their branches reached out like evil clawed hands as she created a ball of power and forced them back.

"I am Uriya, mistress of the wood, you have intruded upon my territory human and must suffer for your transgressions! You are in my world now and I will feast upon your soul" The soft, almost teasing voice uttered causing the young priestess to gasp before she glanced back to her friends. What had they not heard what the voice said? Why could they not see her?

"You are in my realm now, first you and then your allies, now.. I shall dine" The being whispered, a being appearing from the shadows while slowly stepping forward. Her body was cloaked in twigs and branches which were stained with old blood, her eyes were a dark red. She held the appearance a spriggan and yet gave off a strong demonic aura as she reached out towards her prey.

Kagome could not reach her bow! It was next to the fire. She knew not what was going on but chose to cease hesitating before she dodging off to the side and ran into the woods once more. She had to figure out what was going on! "Run as fast as you can, little miko, you are in my world now and I will feast upon your soul before the night is done" Uriya whispered, vanishing into the mist as the fox demon and old woman continued to repel back the shadows. They shouted for Kagome but would get no response...

The girl was with the mistress of the wood now.

As she ran she could see the spirit following her. She caught glimpses of it behind every tree and knew that fleeing would get her nowhere. But, what was there to do? Oh, that is right! Light drove the shadows back. The young priestess came to a sliding stop, ducking her head down as one of the limbs reached out for her once more before she brought her hands together. She went down on one knee, channeling her energies to the best of her abilities as she heard the woman walking towards her.

"Tired already? The must not make mikos like they used to in my time" Uriya taunted, grinning a demented and dark rooted smile while brandishing her blood ridden, claw life wooden hands. However, she was underestimating Kagome. The girl was getting very tired of demons and spirits underestimating her.

"Screw you, bitch!" Kagome shouted, lifting her head up and suddenly opening her eyes to reveal a bright blue glow to them before leaping back and opening her hands. Just as the trees and tendrils reached out for her once more she released a wave of light which burst from her hands, slamming into the area around her. The force caused the trees themselves to shriek while the spirit covered her eyes and cried out as well. "You stay the hell away from me and my friends!" She had made the girl angry. Shadows reminded her of that nightmare, one where she could not free Inuyasha. This would not be like that dream!

Uriya vanished suddenly, driven away by the light as the young priestess panted, quickly forming more balls of energy while finally giving herself a chance to inspect the forest. This was not the real world, she knew that now. There was no sky, no sounds of wild life. Nothing. Somehow she had been transported somewhere strange and it must have been while she was in the river. This is why the Feudal Era needed more bath houses.

There was a rustling from in the wood but she knew it was the being she had just banished, five floating orbs of light around her now lit up enough of the area that she did not have to worry about being attacked. But, for how long could she keep this up? Her powers were slowly draining but her resolve was strong. Had that even been Shippo and Kaede back there? She listened closely and took not that, not only did she not see the fire anymore but she did not hear them, screaming. They were either dead or had been an illusion. She chose to stick with the latter option while slowly moving back. That was when she heard the strange voice, this time clearer.

"She can't cross the river" The voice whispered, seemingly from all around her and yet nowhere as Kagome tossed her head back and then nodded her head. This was not the strangest thing that had happened to her before. "I don't know where it is" She admitted, keeping her voice low. She knew Uriya was most likely still close and just waiting for the light to die down once more so she could attack. One of the orbs was already beginning to weaken and the limbs of the trees were starting to twist down towards her once again.

"This way then, hurry!" The voice was accompanied by the splintering of bark as one of the trees howled in pain. A long gash showed in its wooden body as Kagome did not hesitate to rush forward towards it. As she passed the first marker another appeared and another, whatever the voice was it was leading her to the river and she knew better than to waste what limited time she had.

The trees around her twisted like living beings, demented faces forming in their bark. But, this was not like any cartoon where nature had been comically represented as the evil beings of some witch's wrath. No, these had human faces, crying and screaming in a mixture of fear and agony as a ghoulish blood dripped from their eyes and mouth while they swung their branches down to strike at the girl running past. However, a combination of her spiritual abilities and whatever force was guiding her which struck out at the trees to lead her was enough to keep them at bay.

Her heart beat faster than it had in years and a real fear settled deep within her soul. She had been to these sort of cursed places before but never had it been this intense and never had she been so alone. Did Shippo and Kaede even know she was gone? How long could it have been? What if that actually had been the two of them back there and the woods had claimed them? No. She could not sense their departed souls. She had to trust in her instinct like her mentor taught and have faith that her friends would survive this just as she could. They were either safe or fighting just like her, which meant she needed to live through this to get back to them!

"Beware the waters, her roots still grow there, it would not be wise to enter them" The voice whispered and yet sounded louder than ever. One of the trees leaned forward, intent on passing through her weakening orbs of light to strike down at Kagome. However, the spirit guide was having none of it and cut the limb which was flying down in half, the wood screaming in shock and agony as it tossed itself back. It seemed as if this horror would never end, then just like that she emerged from the trees and reached the water's edge, sliding along the pebbles and barely stopping as she nearly flew right into the tide which her protector had warned her of.

It was true that the river now held a dangerous aura, the water itself seeming as black as night with a strange mist swirling through it. She did not want to risk swimming across but how in the hell was she expected to get to the other side? "Wait, I don't know what to do!" She cried out, hesitating as she waited for a sign from the spirit. When none came after a moment the young priestess decided she could not be patient, quickly moving down the river bank. Small tendrils started to emerge from the cool depths, twirling up towards her but she was fast enough to avoid these. How much longer? Her legs would aching and she was running out of breath, it would be hard to keep up this pace soon! Then what might happen to her?

"Oh, young miko, you are fighting for your life with such delightful a mix of cowardice and bravery, you ever have some force protecting you, such an entertainment, yet, I wonder, how much longer can you keep this up?" Uriya's voice echoed from the trees, a demented laughter seeming to come from everywhere around Kagome. It frustrated her because she knew what the spirit was teasing about would come to pass. She was running out of energy and would soon be at the mercy of whatever this creature was! But, what to do? There were no rocks to cross and no bridge of makeshift lead. If something did not happen soon...

"No more victims, witch!" The voice shouted, a loud splintering of wood accompanied by a loud cry was heard before on of the largest trees suddenly fell downwards. It splashed into the river with an earthshaking wave causing her to have to jump out of the way as an explosion of dark energy reached out towards her. It swallowed all but one of her orbs of light, the young priestess barely managing to fend it away before the woods shivered and shook as if in shock and fear. "Hurry, she will not pause but for a moment!" The voice ordered. It was obvious what she had to do.

Kagome leaped out onto the tree, lifting her feet and jumping over a large tentacle which shot out from the river. It grabbed onto the trunk and shook, trying to toss her into the water as she danced to keep her balance, waving her arms before coming down to her knees. She kept pulling herself across, the bark scratching at her skin while she clawed and forced herself forward. Suddenly a large tendril, bigger than the first emerged and slammed into the tree, narrowly missing her by inches. She cried out as the tree was tossed upwards and after that all she remembered was being flung through the air before landing on the ground. Hard.

...

-In Present Day-

"Kagome!" Sota cried out as he sat up in bad, panting for breath. He was drenched in sweat from his nightmare as he glanced around his room quickly. It had seemed so real, he could have sworn he was watching his sister fight off the trees themselves! A moment later there was a rustling from beside his friend before a boy appeared, his long hair a mess and a curious shocked look in his eyes.

"So-chan, are you okay?" Grey spoke softly, quickly moving to sit on the bed next to his friend as he took the boy's hand and squeezed it lightly. It was a nickname he never dared use in public, one that implied their close relationship while he reached out and brushed the hair out of the others eyes. "You are burning up, do you want me to get you a wet rag?" He suggested, his dark brown eyes full of worry now.

"I saw Kagome, she was running and she had these orbs and there was this crazy wooden bitch after her that was controlling the trees and making them go all crazy on her!" Sota stated, still glancing around the room nervously. The shadows seemed intimidating now causing him to reach out and flick his lamp on. When he looked back to his friend, he was met with that familiar gaze and quickly he felt himself begin to calm down. There was something about his eyes...

"It was just a nightmare, So-chan, you can't let it get to you, I know you are worried for your sister but you must relax your mind" Grey tried to comfort the other, clutching his hand between both of his before bringing it up to his chest. "Bring us peace, bring us comfort, bring protection to our wayward sister on her journey" He prayed softly, quickly opening his eyes again before sighing.

"That is just it, I don't think it was a dream! I could feel everything, the cold wind and this weird heat and I swear I was there" Sota argued, sighing himself before bringing up his other hand and scratching the back of his neck. Slowly he moved to stand, brushing his friend out of the way before walking forward and glancing out his window, leaning against the wall so he could look back at the well house.

What if she was in trouble? There was nothing he could do to help and without Inuyasha could his sister really do something like this on her own? It had been over four days and their mother was a mess, spending as much time watching the portal as he did. They knew it was unrealistic to see her back so soon but the idea that she was over there without the dog demon to protect her was frightening. He might have been a loud mouth but he always had his eyes on her and his sword ready. All she had was a bow and some powers, not that they weren't strong but still...

"You need to have faith in Kagome, Sota, even if she is in danger then we must send all of our strongest good thoughts and karma to her, without us believing in her the gods might not see fit to bless her" Grey spoke, his tone almost seeming wise for a moment as he stepped up behind his friend. Sota glanced back and reluctantly nodded his head then glanced to the well house once more. He did believe in her, he honestly did. But, something just didn't feel right.

It felt like he needed to do something... But what?

End Chapter.

((A/N:It seems that Kagome is in a spot of trouble and somehow her brother knows of it. What could possibly be connecting him that he might be seeing what is going on? Can he do something to help? Oh, I do love these sort of chapters. I really get into it and it makes my blood all aflame with excitement at what is to come. Things are about to become very interesting and I think our young priestess is going to learn a little useful information soon. I hope you all stick around to see what is happening in Chapter Eleven, finally we will be in the double digits! Bye for now, readers. ~))

Chapter Eleven, The Curse of Uriya (Pt24), Preview:

-Her hands exploded in a sea of long, thorn ridden vines which lashed outwards, wrapping around the trees themselves and ripping their roots from the soil before lifting the large make-shit clubs into the air. With a loud, screaming cry the dark mass slammed the tress down atop Kagome with the intent of making her a bloody mess of bone and gore upon the black, mud ridden ground.

But, she was not done fighting yet. The tops of the trees shook and a their leaves separated to reveal the young priestess still standing there, her hands up in the air with a light blue shielding pulsing around her. Somehow she had blocked the attack but it had been a close one. Kaede had yet to even get to this level of her teaching which meant that somehow, she had summoned these energies by herself. This clearly through Uriya off.

"Now Sina!" She cried, calling out to her only ally (or whom she thought was her only ally) as the spirit reacted and struct out at the black mass of root and twisted bodies. Uriya screamed in surprise as numerous scars appeared in her wooden, black ooze covered form. It shook around wildly, using the large trees which it removed from atop it's miko target to try and swat at the invisible force harming it.

"Hyah!" Kagome shouted, taking her chance as she threw up her hands and caused numerous orbs to fly from her palms, this basic balls of light were a simple procedure she was quickly coming to master and yet proved invaluable in this circumstance. The energy shot into the forest spirit, making it scream louder before it fell backwards with a loud crash causing the earth to shake.

Her arms dropped to her side as she panted for breath, her hands shaking lightly before the young priestess fell to her knees. She was expending too much energy and even with a surprise attack she could sense that Uriya's powers were not waning. This became evident as the dark mass slowly rose back up, creaking as different parts of its form broke away and fell to the ground.

"I have been devouring the souls of your people for centuries! You think a simple priestess and her spirit ally can defeat me? Ha! I have ruled these woods forever and I shall rule them long after I eat your deliciously bright soul!" Uriya cried, bringing tentacles back into the air as it lifted the trees once more, clearly intent on repeating its attempts to smash her until the desired result was accomplished.

"I am running out of idea, Kagome-san, I fear there might be nothing we can do, she is too strong" Sina's voice echoed around the young priestess as she stared up at her enemy. This was a bad situation and she knew the spirit was right, they were running out of options and it seemed no matter how much they hurt the great being it simply rose once more to try and decimate her again. What could they possibly do?

One thing was for certain, if something was not discovered soon her journey would be ending a lot quicker than the last had...-


	11. The Curse of Uriya (pt 4)

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hello there, Everyone. I hope you are all having a good day. I am glad to see my story is being accepted so positively. It really warms my heart to know that I am doing a decent job for you all. I realize that chapter distribution has slowed down just a bit, with the Holidays and Winter coming I have a lot to do so I fear there might only be one post a week for a little while. However, I will keep trying to get more out when I have the time. Things are getting too interesting to let them sit for long and I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I have a lot of surprises in store for you all. Now, onto the story.~))

Chapter Eleven

The Curse of Uriya (pt4)

Her head was pounding as Kagome opened her eyes, staring up at the black sky which now seemed like a single limitless void. She was covered in mud and soaked to the bone as the young priestess slowly and achingly sat up. Half of the large tree she had used to cross the river lie next to her, proof that if she had landed just a few inches over she would have been flattened and her journey would most surely be over. At first, this had not seemed so intimidating but quickly she was beginning to worry that Uriya was like nothing she had ever seen before.

But, how? They had traveled these woods before. Her mental map was not perfect but she was sure that on their way to Sango's Village her friends would have had to pass through this forest at least once or twice. Also, had she not bathed in this river before? Had they not stayed the night? Nothing had bothered them back then so whatever this must have been it had come to set up shop while she was away. Yet, that explained so much.

People in the Feudal Era often found rivers to be safe points where it was good to camp. The ability to wash, drink and cook with water was appealing to those whom had long journeys. There had probably been dozens of people whom simply vanished, somehow swallowed into the nature spirit's world only to be devoured by the dark creatures or the being herself. Hopefully Kaede and Shippo were okay, light seemed to ward off the creature's power so she prayed they would not come looking for her.

The question was, what should Kagome do? She was alone except for a disembodied voice which guided her. Her body was tired and she felt drained of her abilities, lying there in the darkness with no light whatsoever. Though, it did seem like her spirit guide had been right. The tentacles had not grabbed her while she was passed out and Uriya had not attacked her. It was doubtful the creatures would have waited given the chance so she was safe for now. But, what was her next step? Inuyashaa would fight the forest spirit but could she even hope to do it damage? There was difference between her spirit powers and his enchanted sword. Not to mention, she didn't even have a bow! At this point she solemnly promised to carry her weapon everywhere from now on.

"You are lucky to be alive, I thought you had cracked your neck upon falling and was waiting to have a new friend" The voice from before suddenly spoke, sounding as if it sat right next to her as the young priestess gasped before bringing a hand to her chest. It never mattered what she had seen, ghosts always had a bad habit of giving her a fright whether they meant to or not. "Sorry but it is quiet, I don't like quiet" The voice apologized, a gentle wind brushing by as if it moved. Okay, it was time for some answers while they had the time.

"Who or what are you?" Kagome asked, slowly moving to stand before wincing. A sharp pain erupted from her right knee and ankle where she had taken the weight of her fall upon hitting the ground. Nothing seemed broken and some healing herbs would fix her right up. Too bad there were none around so she would just have to be wary and hope for the best. This was not a sentiment she enjoyed.

"I am a who and my name is Sina" The spirit explained before there was suddenly a small flash of light. When the young priestess opened her eyes once more she was met with the sight of a young girl. The child could have been no more than nine or ten but she had small black wolf ears and a short tail which poked out from her dark brown kimono. She smiled up at her as if to give comfort, knowing that this all must be unsettling. She seemed so young, her short brown hair giving a tomboyish appearance, though her soft green eyes whispered she would have been attractive should she not have died.

"I am Kagome" She introduced, scratching the back of her neck lightly before glancing off to the side. Across the river, she could still see the trees moving and could sense Uriya's anger. The forest spirit was not pleased at its prey's escape and was most likely waiting for a chance to strike should the opportunity present itself. "How did you end up here?" She inquired, though, it was almost obvious what must have happened. The young girl probably had been captured just like her and not been able to escape. The idea caused her blood to run hot with the injustice and anger. Yet, she had no idea how wrong she was.

"I was brought here with my sister after we died" Sina told her, the spirit floating idly before gesturing off to the other part of the forest. "Uriya is my older sister" She explained, drawing a surprised look from the priestess while the spirit sighed softly. "You would not expect that, would you? I am afraid that she has lost her mind" The wolf demon stated, her gaze becoming one of both sadness and regret as she stared into the other part of the wood. There must have been something more and before she could stop her curiosity,, she inquired "What happened?".

It was a horrible intrusion which Kagome instantly regretted asking as a multitude of emotions were displayed along Sina's face. Everything from sadness, to anger and then guilt before the young girl looked to her and then floated up into the air. Kaede always warned about conversing with the dead, many believed that talking to those whom have passed would curse you or bring bad karma. But, she was trapped here and this was the only other being she knew of that was not trying to kill her. Also, something deep inside wanted to know how such a young girl could be related to whatever that beast in the wood was.

"It is my fault" Sina began, staring up into the sky as she floated above her, the girl's short hair being tousled by an invisible wind. "You see, my sister and I were part of a wolf clan whom lived in this wood, our family had spent generations in this area and we knew it well, I spent many days on this side of the river exploring and playing around, I wasn't much for hard work, haha" The spirit was struggling to sound something more than morose as it glanced down to her. "Everything was fine, until the humans moved in, we had never bothered anyone and preferred to keep to ourselves but then so humans built that small village and stuff changed, I could no longer go out and explore, our clan leader demanded that we had to be more secretive and only go out at night" That at least explained why this area seemed to be in a state of perpetual darkness.

"I should have listened, our clan was preparing to leave but I hated the idea of leaving the land where I grew up so I sneaked out, I was playing on my own by the river when I met a young boy, he was the first friend I had whom was my age because I was the youngest and I started sneaking out to meet with him every night while my family prepared to leave" The young girl's voice cracked, making Kagome's heart ache for her as the story continued. "One night, Uriya followed me, she had constantly been scolding me about not aiding in our clan's chores and I guess she became curious and tracked me, when she caught me with my friend she became angry, she thought I was endangering us, which I guess I had been" Sina shook lightly as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"I was forbidden from seeing my friend, I can't even remember his name now for some reason, in fact, a lot of my memories are jumbled and hard to understand but all I can see after that is Uriya and myself running, people were chasing us and then everything goes black" The spirit sighed softly, reaching out with its hands to touch one of the trees. This side of the river was not as frightening, the forest actually seemed almost pleasant. "My sister died on one side and I, the other, her spirit was so consumed with hatred and anger upon her death that she changed... Then all of this was created, her hatred keeps her here and it has trapped me along with her, perhaps because it is my fault" Sina was clearly suffering, the young demon floating down before landing next to the young priestess.

"She told me many times not to go out on my own, that I needed to stay close to the clan, I think she blames me and this is why I am here, she destroyed the human village. showed no mercy to any of them, I don't think that thing is my sister anymore,, it doesn't even seem to know who I am" She explained, the spirit moving closer before reaching out. It's small hands took Kagome's before leading her forward and then pointing across the river.

"Uriya brings people here, she traps them in her hell and then wears them down before devouring them, I am only safe because I stay here, others have come and I aided them but they always ventured back into her side of the forest to try and escape, it never worked though" The fox demon explained, standing with her toes in the water. The dark, swirling mass under the surface seemed uninterested in harming her, perhaps because she was already dead?

"There has to be something we can do, you shouldn't be trapped her for making a mistake, this isn't your fault, Sina, I am sure" Kagome comforted, stepping forward and placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. She fought with her brother often enough, there were times when she got so angry with him she wanted to wring his neck but in the end they always made up. Her sister had just been trying to protect her, yeah, she had made a mistake but that did not mean she deserved this sort of punishment. Though, her half of the forest was almost pleasant. Like being outside on a moonless night with the sky illuminated by the stars behind the clouds.

"If there is, I don't know what it would be, I have tried talking to my sister but she does not know whom I am, I even tried fighting her but I can only do a little while Uriya has full control of the forest on her end, I just want to go home, our real home and not wherever this is" Sina said, turning and leaning into the older woman. A soft sobbing could be heard as the spirit cried into her stomach causing the priestess's heart to break while she pat her back softly. Yet another group of demons, similar to Shippo's friends, whom had been killed by humans. The Feudal Era's people were quickly starting to look different from what they had been. No longer victims but attackers.

They were in a different realm, surrounded by shadows. Both of the sisters were in their own version of purgatory. There had to be some way to help them. It was hard to understand why she wanted to do so. After all, from the moment she had stepped into the river for a relaxing moment her life had been an utter hell thanks to Uriya. But, Kagome was driven by something she never quite understood. Inuyasha had called it being gullible and even Sango had sometimes commented how she could be over-trusting and naive. But, in the end, she always wanted to do what was right. Freeing Sina from this place was right.

"We will do something, okay? I won't leave until you are free from here" She promised, patting the girl's head before smiling down at her and then glancing back up to the sky. The stars, which she now could tell seemed almost unnatural whispered of an innocence that Sina had exuded. She had just wanted friends and not to have to leave, the humans had done this to both her and her sister. No one deserved to die, which meant that the spirit of the wood had to be stopped. Even if her actions might have been justified.

-Scene Switch-

Sota had managed to talk his mother into letting him abstain from going from school. The boy had played on her soft side, claiming to be sick while also revealing that he was worried about his sister. So, while commenting that she would not do it again, Sora had called the school and informed them that her son would not be able to attend due to a severe groin injury. Her version of a joke which was revenge to insure he would not manipulate her emotions again. But, she just didn't understand.

He paced in front of the well house, the doors now covered with fresh seals. They had no idea if this would actually work, having to hire a priest when his grandfather's markings could not be remembered. His dream was bothering him greatly and he kept pausing to look at the portal, hoping that Kagome would send some sort of sign that she was okay. But, nothing came. Of course, it was silly of the boy to expect something but still...

"Ya know, being all weird and obsessive like that will make it hard for you to find a girlfriend~" He leaped a few feet in the air, having been surprised by the sudden voice. His mother had ran off to get stuff for lunch! He swirled around and came eye to forehead with Yuka whom was munching on an apple while flipping through the messages on her phone. "I saw Kagome doing the same thing often enough when we first started hanging out, if I had known then what I knew now I might have understood" She mumbled, glancing up and then shrugging her shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, raising an eyebrow before sighing and then leaning against the wall of the well house. He knew she was right, he had watched his sister do the same damn thing he was for days after the portal had closed. It had been a rough sight to witness, she had seemed so sad. "It is Senior skip day and school is boring without her so I left" She explained simply, sticking out her tongue and then putting her phone away.

"I don't know what it really is like over there but Kagome used to tell me these stories, they seemed so fantastic and strange, unreal honestly, to know that demon was a sign it was all true and now she is over there... I have been worried" Yuka told him, reaching up and rubbing her shoulder lightly before glancing up to her best friend's room. They had spent so much time together over the past few years that her not being around was hard to adapt to. Kagome had always kept her in line, guided her through her rougher classes and given her good advice. Now, her friend was gone and she was left to fend for herself. In a way, they were kindred spirits.

"Well, she has done this before so don't be too scared, I mean, she has done this sorta stuff before so it is probably really easy" Sota spoke confidently but deep down he knew what they both knew. His sister had changed since she had come back to the modern day and now knowing she was there meant that any moment she could die and they would never know. They would never see her again and have no way to say goodbye... This was why he secretly had been happy when the well did not reopen that one day. He had gotten his sister back and now the Feudal Era had stolen her once more. He would never have kept her from going, though. After all, he could see she had more than just one family. He had to share.

"Yeah, I know that, I just haven't been sleeping well is all" The statement which Yuka made caused him to pause, the boy looking up before stepping forward and then pointing at her. For a moment, he wanted to say nothing, knowing that it was a long shot and yet something made him say what he did. "About Kagome running through a forest? She gets to a river and then a large black thing smacks the tree and then you wake up?" He questioned, taking note of her shocked look as a cold feeling formed hard in his stomach. This was not good...

"Hey, how in the hell did you know that? Am I sleep texting again? I don't even remember putting you in my phone" Yuka stated, raising her eyebrows before quickly looking through her phone with a wide eyed expression. A second later a shocked cry escaped her before she blushed furiously. "Holy shit! I accidentally sent that old nudey pic to Kaito-san! Oh my god!" She exclaimed, furiously typing away while turning her back to him.

Sota did not know much about magic and the mystical stuff his grandfather had so desired to teach him. But, knowing they had the same visions was proof enough that something was very wrong. He glanced to the well before walking up and cracking the door open. If his sister was in trouble then he had to do something.

But, what?...

-Scene Switch-

Kagome's brother and best friend were not the only ones beginning to think that something had gone wrong. As time had passed and night had come, Kaede had finally talked the boy into going off to find the girl. When he had returned with supplies saying her bathing materials had been drifting slowly down the river they had both gone into a panic. The young priestess was nowhere to be found and quickly both people whom had previously lost so much feared she had been taken from them just like all their other friends.

"She has to be somewhere, keep looking around until ya smell her, boy! Use that nose for something like the damned dog demon used to!" The old woman shouted, pacing around the fire place before charging on down the path once more. They had been looking through the wood yet no sign could be found of their companion. She had sensed no demons but the river was a ways away from the camp site so there was a small chance a creature could have sneaked by.

"I am trying but it is like she never got out of the river, Kaede-sama! I look and I look but she is nowhere" Shippo was clearly distressed, almost in a panic as he rushed back and forth. In his head he was remembering his friends and how suddenly they had been taken. He had lost her once and now she was back and thought he was a delinquent. He still had to show her he was still the same boy from before. He needed her.

The elderly priestess was sensing his fear and worry in waves which amplified her own emotions as she finally slowed down before raising her hands. "Stop" she ordered simply, throwing her hand out as the fox demon tried to rush past her before placing it on his shoulder and sighing loudly. "Listen, we must not lose ourselves to the destructive chaos, we must calm and refocus" She explained, taking in a deep breath while watching him to insure the boy did the same. When he did, she spoke again. "Now, we must have faith, Kagome is strong and more perceptive than she used to be, most likely she either went for a highly misguided walk or something did happen, now, let us locate where she last was and go from there" She instructed, nodding her head before hobbling forward.

She would not state what her primary thoughts were. There could have been water spirits, ones she would not sensed unless they appeared to her during her bathing period. Her student could have been taken by them and if so... There would be no body. But, that would not be something she was willing to consider yet. The girl could be in trouble and if so, it was time she proved herself.

Kaede always said there was life in her old bones, now was the time to prove it. So, as she reached the river's edge she channeled her senses and began to focus on her inner abilities. There was more than one way to locate someone and she would find her student. "What are you-" "Silence boy" She stated, causing him to quiet as she held her hands out. In her mind's eye there was only darkness as she tried to use a technique which had not been accessed for quite sometime. It was a powerful and draining ability which had been lost to her as she aged. But, things were different now. She was not some old woman whom could not handle a situation, so she focused harder after a moment when nothing came.

Shippo stood there, watching her closely while glancing to the water. It was so dark and yet that didn't matter. He just wanted to know where Kagome was and then he would be happy. His tail twitched as his eyes followed the waters before hesitating when he saw the tide change. He paused, leaning forward with a shocked look on his face as the rapids started to slow their quick journey before starting all together.

Then it happened, ripples began to move across the surface as Kaede focused her attention in the reflective waters. Despite the darkness of the night they begun to glow before the spiraled around in strange patterns. "Close your eyes, boy" The old woman ordered, not removing her focus from the river. The fox demon did not understand why but did as he was told. Then, why such a thing had been ordered became clear. From within the water's reflection a bathing Kagome could be seen. It showed the young priestess reaching the water's edge before diving in, seemingly beginning to relax. What she had not noticed where the dark tendrils which emerged from the water to pull her down. Kaede gasped upon witnessing this, her eyes widening before more was revealed as she watched her student be dragged into the depths of the river before suddenly vanishing.

"What? What happened?" Shippo asked, his voice tone showing the beginning of renewed fear as he stepped to the water's edge. "Back boy, do as I say!" The old woman ordered, putting her arm out in front of him. It was lucky she did because just at that moment the tendrils formed beneath the river's surface once more, moving their way up towards the two like snakes. "Some has taken her" She stated, smacking her staff against the shoreline. There was a small burst of energy which caused the dark beings to recoil in fear as she glared down upon them.

"What do we do?" She had expected for the boy to ask that and knew she had no answer. Something had taken their dear friend and she knew not how to get her back. Where was an idiotic dog demon, a perverted priest or an overzealous wolf when you needed them?

-Scene Switch-

This was a bad idea. Sina had told her this many times when Kagome had chosen to cross the river once more. But, it was the only decision they had. The young girl was trapped and there would be no escape for either of them unless they faced her sister head on. Of course, this did not mean it was a good idea, it meant it was the only one. There might have been another way but it was hidden to her and she would not keep waiting. Shippo and Kaede were probably already looking for her. If she did not do something about Uriya soon they might be taken as well.

The wood was eerily quiet, unnervingly so as the young priestess walked alone along the shore line. She had instructed her spirit companion to remain hidden, deciding to attract their foes attention. Sina probably would not be able to do much but she had been confident that she could aid her in some way. They were each other's savior and would have to rely upon one another despite just meeting. "She knows what we are planning" The young priestess said softly, keeping her voice down as she peered up at the trees. They still moved slowly, waiting for their chance to attack her.

She knew this was not the time for fear or hesitation. They had to face Uriya head on and prove they were not afraid, only then would both sisters and the souls of the devoured possibly rest in peace. However, something occurred to Kagome as she thought of this. In that moment she had not considered her own freedom but just saving those whom suffering. Could she be so selfless or was the naivety? It all depended on which of her friends you asked first. But, yes, she would be free if the spirit of the forest was defeated.

Crossing the river was no small task, the young priestess had to balance carefully along a small set of stones while avoiding the blackened tendrils which desired to possibly drown her. However, after having a moment to rest she could now summon more balls of energy which swirled around her, banishing the shadowy beings before she was allowed to cross. What she would not give to have her bow. Hell, from now on she was bathing with it and everything.

"Rarely does the food ever come to me" Uriya's voice, harsh and cruel echoed through the forest from an unknown point or origin as the trees reacted. They reached out for the girl but she easily evaded them, causing them to shriek as she focused her abilities and created a larger sphere of light which lit up the area around her. It seemed as long as this was kept up the trees would be unable to aid their mistress. "Reveal yourself, Uriya!" Kagome ordered, keeping herself calm despite the fast paced beating of her heart. This was no simple demon she was facing and often enough she struggled to defeat them. But, she could not fail. Her friends and numerous others depended on her!

The forest was quiet for a moment, the trees seeming to go still. Then, suddenly an unearthly howling erupted as a blast of energy assaulted the priestess. She kept her footing, keep herself from being tossed into the river before stepping quickly into a clearing where there were few trees. She could hear the cracking of bark and the snapping of limbs, a large crushing noise echoed all around her. Then her foe came into view.

This was not the Spriggan-esque creature she had seen before which stood about her height. Now, this creature towered over her as a mass of wood and darkened ooze. It took the form of a woman but just barely, the only identifiers of this being a subtle area where the breasts were and how the limbs seemed to have been fashioned into hair. Two purple, glowing eyes focused on their prey as a deep chuckle echoed through the forest. "You will taste good" The spirit stated, loud creaking and snapping coming from its frame as it stepped towards her.

"Stop sister!" A voice suddenly was heard before Sina formed next to Kagome. Her hands were held in the air and the young girl's eyes were wide as she stared up at her sibling with a pleading gaze. "Please, I beg you, let there be no more suffering! The humans whom killed us have long since met their fates" She begged, worried for the human whom so willingly stepped forward to try and free them both. This purgatory was of her creation by her actions and she would atone for it, no matter what.

The large mass seemed to pause, its eyes widening for a moment in hesitation before a deep chuckle erupted from the forest once more. "You think I desire revenge? It was as such at first but now I just want to feed, humans fuel us, they are the warmth which coats my frozen blood" Uriya told her, bringing up two massive, club like arms which had been created from fully unrooted trees. "Humans created me! They are the ones whom drowned me in the river and not I am the one whom shall feast upon them until the end of time!" She proclaimed, then, without a moment's more hesitation, moved to attack...

Her hands exploded in a sea of long, thorn ridden vines which lashed outwards, wrapping around the trees themselves and ripping their roots from the soil before lifting the large make-shit clubs into the air. With a loud, screaming cry the dark mass slammed the tress down atop Kagome with the intent of making her a bloody mess of bone and gore upon the black, mud ridden ground.

But, she was not done fighting yet. The tops of the trees shook and a their leaves separated to reveal the young priestess still standing there, her hands up in the air with a light blue shielding pulsing around her. Somehow she had blocked the attack but it had been a close one. Kaede had yet to even get to this level of her teaching which meant that somehow, she had summoned these energies by herself. This clearly through Uriya off.

"Now Sina!" She cried, calling out to her only ally (or whom she thought was her only ally) as the spirit reacted and struct out at the black mass of root and twisted bodies. Uriya screamed in surprise as numerous scars appeared in her wooden, black ooze covered form. It shook around wildly, using the large trees which it removed from atop it's miko target to try and swat at the invisible force harming it.

"Hyah!" Kagome shouted, taking her chance as she threw up her hands and caused numerous orbs to fly from her palms, this basic balls of light were a simple procedure she was quickly coming to master and yet proved invaluable in this circumstance. The energy shot into the forest spirit, making it scream louder before it fell backwards with a loud crash causing the earth to shake.

Her arms dropped to her side as she panted for breath, her hands shaking lightly before the young priestess fell to her knees. She was expending too much energy and even with a surprise attack she could sense that Uriya's powers were not waning. This became evident as the dark mass slowly rose back up, creaking as different parts of its form broke away and fell to the ground.

"I have been devouring the souls of your people for centuries! You think a simple priestess and her spirit ally can defeat me? Ha! I have ruled these woods forever and I shall rule them long after I eat your deliciously bright soul!" Uriya cried, bringing tentacles back into the air as it lifted the trees once more, clearly intent on repeating its attempts to smash her until the desired result was accomplished.

"I am running out of idea, Kagome-san, I fear there might be nothing we can do, she is too strong" Sina's voice echoed around the young priestess as she stared up at her enemy. This was a bad situation and she knew the spirit was right, they were running out of options and it seemed no matter how much they hurt the great being it simply rose once more to try and decimate her again. What could they possibly do?

One thing was for certain, if something was not discovered soon her journey would be ending a lot quicker than the last had.

((A/N:There we go. I feel like this chapter took a while. Things on the farm have been rather difficult and my father's health is not ideal so I do apologize for the wait. However, at least things are still moving along. Up next is the finale of our five part episode. I like how things are shaping up and Kagome is beginning to show more determination. Though, her selfless personality might become more of a detriment soon enough. Anyways, I won't keep you reader. I look forward to see you in Chapter Twelve. ~))

Chapter Twelve, The Curse of Uriya (Finale), Preview:

-Kagome dove down as the large tree was flung towards her, a sharp pain searing along her spine as part of the wood caught hold of her. She cried out before rolling off to the side, feeling a large pressure on her legs before the limbs of Uriya's projectile pinned her down. She tried to pull herself up but the sheer weight was enough to prevent her escape as the young priestess looked up to the nature spirit in shock.

They both wore the signs of a hard fought battle but Uriya was already dead, she would not weaken like her human prey. She reached down to grasped another tree, ripping it from the ground before dragging it behind her as she walked towards the downed hero. Another series of attacks were made upon her form by Sina, the young girl's spirit desperately trying to prevent her sister from moving forward. However, a sudden explosion of dark energy put a halt to these strikes.

"Humans are a blight upon our world, they were the ones whom intruded upon our land and now seek to rule it all, they chase us from our homes and they call us evil while murdering our friends and family! You all deserve death, you deserve the same damnation which was forced upon me!" Uriya shouted, lifting the large club up. They both knew Kagome could not escape, the tree was too heavy for her to pull herself out from underneath. She was in the perfect place to be smashed by the nature spirit. But, what they both did not see coming was a sudden ball of fire which erupted from the water's edge. The flame was flung from the river, seemingly forming out of the tide itself as the nature spirit screamed in agony, tossing itself back as the tinder which surrounded her form threatened to catch fire.

An echoing voice was heard, this time being one which was more familiar as Kagome looked to the river in surprise. Within the surface she could see Kaede reflected, the elderly woman having her hands outstretched over the tide as her words commanded the portal within the water to open. Shippo was standing next to her, his claws brandished with another ball of fire summoned in his hands. They had found her!..-


	12. The Curse of Uriya (Finale)

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hello Everyone, can you tell that Thanksgiving is getting closer? I have already begun looking through my recipes for what I will cook for the big day. I am a bit of a chef, though secretly I am not that good, but I am getting better. So, we have made it to Chapter Thirteen. This is turning out to have been a perfect concept to match the Inuyasha anime. Anywhere, I will not hold you all up by babbling on here. On to the chapter and where our story continues.~))

Chapter Twelve

The Curse of Uriya (Finale)

Uriya's attack created a shock wave when it connected with Kagome's energy shielded, sending a harsh blast out around them which leveled a few of the trees. This was good for the young priestess because it gave her some leeway to move around. So, when the nature spirit lifted her large clubs the girl used her smaller, more nimble form to dodge back quickly and put some open air between them. It would seem that this fight would not be easily won, without her friends she had very little hope of actually winning. But, there was determination and strength in her heart! The souls of those Uriya had feasted upon called out for a savior and Sina would never be released if she failed now.

Another unearthly howl echoed through the forest as the nature spirit's anger grew before a loud cracking noise was heard. Root and wood bent and crunched together before two more arms formed out of her back, the lumbering creature stepping back so she could retrieve two more clubs before lifting her four large weapons up into the air. Oh great, of course she would get pissed and make herself more formidable! Why couldn't the damned demon just have one form for once?

Sina was dodging around her, seemingly trying to come up with an attack plan of her own. Her sister's weaknesses were there but even when they took advantage of them she did barely flinched or slowed down. In fact, when they preyed on what hurt her the being seemed to just get more angry and determined to kill them both. It was a harsh reality but she now knew for sure that no part of the sibling she had once known was still in there. Now, even though she was the reason they were both here, she had to strike her down. The humans did not deserve this!

"DIE!" Uriya screamed out, bringing all four of her clubs down at once. The young priestess was just far enough back where she could not be reached by the strike but the resulting wave of power which was let loose from it lifted her into the air despite her attempts to put up another shield. She was sent flying through the air before slamming into the ground, rolling a few feet and then coming to a sliding stop. "Kagome-san!" Sina shouted, looking up to her sister before growling and then taking off into the air. Deep gouges suddenly formed in the nature' spirits arms, spreading up her shoulders before a blast of spirit energy resonated near her hair caused the creature to rear back while crying out in surprise and pain. She could not harm her sister!

Kagome slowly picked herself up, trying to take deep breaths despite the pain in her chest from having been thrown into the ground once again. That seemed to be a running theme with this demon. She picked herself up, grateful for the distraction her ally gave before looking down at her hands. They had nicks and cuts in them from the stones on the ground and were now bloodied and bruised. But, there was no time to pause or worry over pain. Just don't think about it! She turned and lifted up her aching hands, focusing her powers on the nature spirit once more before glaring at the creature. No more miss nice girl.

"Take this you, bitch!" She shouted, her eyes suddenly taking on that brilliant hue of bright blue before her hands reverberated with an energy of the same color. Suddenly small spheres of energy flew from her finger tips in a beam which slammed into her opponents face. The large being screamed in surprise, trying to lift its clubs to block its sensitive eyes. But, the human did not hesitate and simply dropped her beam down, letting the spheres of light slam into Uriya's chest. The creature struggled and lashed out at open hair before losing its balance and suddenly toppling over, slamming into the forest.

Kagome was forced to stop her assault after that, panting as she felt her legs and arms shake. She was exhausting too much energy with her attacks and yet she had learned she possessed an effective ability unknown to her before this battle. But, could she keep the fight going? Sina appeared next to her, taking not of the young priestess's fatigue before they both glanced to Uriya whom was quickly beginning to recover. "I am sorry, this is all my fault" She young fox demon apologized, her words tinged with regret and fear. If only she had not gone to see that human, if only she had listened to her sister...

"Don't be silly" Kagome admonished, looking over at her and ignoring the demon which was trying to regain its ground. The nature spirit had made a mistake in choosing a large form and was learning how troublesome it could be to recover. "You just want a friend and you were young, the humans were the ones which messed up, they didn't understand and brought their own fate upon their heads" She explained, stepping over and then placing a hand on the spirit's shoulder. Which was surprising because she should have been unable to touch the being. "No one deserves to suffer like this, though, we are all going to get through this so don't lose hope yet" She encouraged, gasping as she realized that her opponent had finally regained its footing.

However, it did not make a move to attack. Uriya simply stood there, staring down at the two of them with red eyes akin to the color of fire. "I just wanted to protect my sister" The being spoke in a softer voice now, its form quivering and causing the few still attached leaves to make a rustling noise. "I knew what she wanted, I knew she was lonely, but the humans would not understand that, we are barbarian and evil to them" She explained, gazing down at her sister whom in turn looked up to her."They attacked, Sina, their stories of me being the first to attack were vicious lies made up by those with a guilty conscious, They drowned me in the river and then shot my sister with their arrows" The demon's large form quivered with rage for a moment after speaking this.

"You are the first human whom has acknowledged that we are not the evil creatures your race like to say we are, for this fact I wish I could spare you" Uriya admitted, glancing up to the sky above them for a moment while lowering her clubs. "Why don't you, sister? Let us both be free of this place and move on, we can be with mother and father, my friend has done you know wrong" Sina pleaded, fully materializing next to her sibling's feet. "I understand your anger, let us not take another life and instead go somewhere we never have to worry for humans again" She said, though her tone sounded uncertain. The both of them had made bad decisions, both while living and dead, there was no real knowing what was waiting for them on the other side.

"I wish I could, Sina, but my anger towards the injustice of our deaths is too much, I can't control myself any longer, prepare yourselves" The nature demon ordered, her eyes becoming two dark, crimson glowing orbs as she lifted her clubs once again. "Sister, please! This does not have to be the way things are" Sina pleaded, stepping back slowly while casting a glance over her shoulder to her living ally. There had been a brief moment for pause but the fatigue in the woman's form was evident, there was no way they could win this battle.

"Like I said, I am sorry sister, but you do not understand this world for you did not live in it long enough" A loud creaking and snapping of wood echoed as Uriya stepped forward, her weapons now lifted into the air. "I might kill a few worthy humans here and there, but that is the price I pay for insuring that none of our brethren ever meet the fate we did!" With this statement, the clubs were brought down, slamming into the ground as the young girl vanished from view before reappearing next to the priestess.

"I am sorry, I tried" She apologized, looking to Kagome whom was trying to decide upon a strategy. She had some power left but would it be enough to defeat the large, hulk of an enemy in front of her? "Don't worry about it, we simply need to-" The priestess was cut off when Uriya suddenly brought one arm back before releasing her weapon and slinging it towards them!

Kagome dove down as the large tree was flung towards her, a sharp pain searing along her spine as part of the wood caught hold of her. She cried out before rolling off to the side, feeling a large pressure on her legs before the limbs of Uriya's projectile pinned her down. She tried to pull herself up but the sheer weight was enough to prevent her escape as the young priestess looked up to the nature spirit in shock.

They both wore the signs of a hard fought battle but Uriya was already dead, she would not weaken like her human prey. She reached down to grasped another tree, ripping it from the ground before dragging it behind her as she walked towards the downed hero. Another series of attacks were made upon her form by Sina, the young girl's spirit desperately trying to prevent her sister from moving forward. However, a sudden explosion of dark energy put a halt to these strikes.

"Humans are a blight upon our world, they were the ones whom intruded upon our land and now seek to rule it all, they chase us from our homes and they call us evil while murdering our friends and family! You all deserve death, you deserve the same damnation which was forced upon me!" Uriya shouted, lifting the large club up. They both knew Kagome could not escape, the tree was too heavy for her to pull herself out from underneath. She was in the perfect place to be smashed by the nature spirit. But, what they both did not see coming was a sudden ball of fire which erupted from the water's edge. The flame was flung from the river, seemingly forming out of the tide itself as the nature spirit screamed in agony, tossing itself back as the tinder which surrounded her form threatened to catch fire.

An echoing voice was heard, this time being one which was more familiar as Kagome looked to the river in surprise. Within the surface she could see Kaede reflected, the elderly woman having her hands outstretched over the tide as her words commanded the portal within the water to open. Shippo was standing next to her, his claws brandished with another ball of fire summoned in his hands. They had found her!

The fire which her fox demon ally had summoned was unleashed once more, searing Uriya as the nature spirit cried out. It thrashed around and smacked its clubs into the waters but whatever ability the old woman was using would not be dispelled. When the attack made contact with the river a brilliant flash of light resounded before a small ball of energy came flying up and slammed into the hulking creature sending it flying up into the air before landing off in the middle of the forest. "Come on, girl, we do not have long!" She heard her mentor warn.

Kagome knew this all too well and began to struggle with the tree that pinned her down. The searing pain erupting through her legs from the sheer pressure the large mass was exuding had her hands shaking and her mind threatening not to work. For a moment, it seemed as if she might be unable to move it but then Sina appeared, the young girl using her spirit energy to summon extra strength as they both struggled before she was able to pull herself out from underneath it. Her lower legs, knees and upper thighs were badly bruised and as she moved to stand she found the pain to be too much and was forced to stay in a sitting position. "Kagome-san, you have to go!" Her spirit ally warned, trying to help her up as the girl cried out in pain.

-Scene Switch-

Kaede stared at the scene, her eyes focused as energy moved off of her in waves. Abilities which had been quiet to her for years had been awakened through her sheer need to protect her student. It was surprising and yet almost not, as if she had been expecting this sort of thing to happen for a while. She had found herself unable to protect the villagers but she would not lose this girl! However, this was not in a good situation. She was injured and might not be able to reach the portal which had been opened for her escape!

"Boy, you listen to me and you listen well" The Old Woman instructed, taking in a deep breath as she focused more of her energy when she felt the portal fluctuate and attempt to close. "You shall go in there and aid her, I have to stay here, prove you desire redemption and protect her" She ordered, her hands shaking as she gave him a severe look. Yet, the fox demon made no quick motion to move.

"I have no redemption to be made, Kaede" Shippo suddenly said, turning to her as he gave her a defiant look and lifted his chin. "I did nothing wrong! Just like Uriya, I was protecting the people I cared for when yours attacked! You are the one whom denied me when I came to you looking for help" He argued, his immaturity showing in this moment as the boy made no quick action towards saving their friend.

"Aye, I will admit I might have been spiteful" The shocking admittance she made clearly through him off as the elderly priestess glanced up to him. "I was angry that you had left me as everyone else had, I was saddened that the boy I had helped raise as my own grandchild could so easily replace me and leave me behind only to return with a new family" Her tone shook as she stared straight into his eyes. "I was also jealous in how you had discovered more people whom cared for you while the ones whom loved me vanished like the mist, I regret that and it was my folly, we have both lost and I could not see that you were suffering just as I was" She said and then used one of her hands to point down at the waters.

"We both suffered greatly and I know not whom truly sent the first blow upon my village, whether it be demons or humans themselves, but our family is in there now and you indecision and indifference only serves to remind me that while I am finding my redemption for past actions, you are trapped there and shall suffer just like the spirit of nature, is this what you desire?" Kaede asked of him, her eyes focused on a struggling young priestess whom she worried might not be able to reach them without help.

Shippo was quiet for a moment, having felt properly chastised before slowly nodding his head. The boy tossed his hair back and then stepped into the waters, uncertain how moving through this portal would be. "I never replaced you, Kaede-sama, I might not always agree with you but you are my granny" He admitted, his tone soft as he glanced over his shoulder. As she nodded to him he offered a small smile before looking down to the portal with eyes that were filled with determination. A second later, he leaped through.

Then, in comical motion similar to his earlier years the boy flailed his arms as he spun around and landed on the other side, the world spinning for a moment as he tried to focus himself once again.

-Scene Switch-

She could hear that same unearthly howl from within the forest and knew that Uriya was recovering, the lumbering steps echoing destruction and rage throughout the area around her. But, oddly Kagome did not feel scared. It was strange but as Sina helped her move towards the river inches at a time she instead found herself growing more determined before looking over to the girl. "I can't leave" She stated suddenly, receiving a shocked look in response. "Are you insane, Kagome-san? You can't even walk, I will not allow it" The spirit girl argued only to find her support shrugged away.

The priestess leaned against a rock, pulling her aching legs up onto it so that they could stretch out in front of her as she looked to her ally. "You would be trapped here and even if I do escape, numerous other people will be killed! I have to stay and release not only the victims and yourself but your sister as well, not even she deserves to be in this place even if it is of her making" She informed her, looking up as the nature spirit appeared once again. It's large arms were battered and chunks of word were missing over numerous parts of its body, its neck seemingly had been reattached by vines hinting that when Kaede had thrown it back it had landed upon its head.

As those crimson red eyes glared down at Kagome she found herself looking back up at Uriya with a strong gaze of her own. There would be no talking to this demon, so she would just have to defeat it and make sure that it did not get close enough to smash her. "Eh!? What are you doing?" A now recovered Shippo asked, rushing up to her before she glanced to her to friends and then motioned with her chin to the creature. "We have to work together, alright? She has to be saved just like everyone else" She instructed.

Both the spirit demon and fox demon seemed hesitant and possessed a desire to argue, yet the look they received from the priestess proved that there was no point. Something about the selfless way she acted and spoke made a feeling of strength move through them. When someone acted strong and determined, it had a tendency to rub off on others. "Fine, but if I get smacked because of this then you better get hit to" Shippo stated, glancing up to their large opponent. It was much more intimidating being in the same area as the creature.

Sina was quiet for a moment as she glanced to the human whom was so determined to help her and the demon boy which stood by her side. Her gaze held worry and yet almost contentment at what she witnessed. The two races getting together, willing to be friends despite their differences. This was when she knew that her sister's ideals of the world were wrong. "Gods, please forgive my sister for what she has done, allow her entry into Heaven and grant us the strength we need to defeat her" The girl suddenly prayed before turning and lifting up her hands. This was the right thing to do, even if it would be hard.

Uriya let out a low rumbling growl before suddenly lifting her clubs, the nature spirit's rage blinding it to the new unification which stood before it. All she saw were three targets that needed to be destroyed and cared not for the scene for it spoke volumes of how incorrect her beliefs might have been. This pushed her forward as more anger welled into her soul, blinding her to even her own sister as she rushed forward ready to strike once more.

"Okay, everyone! Hit her with all ya got!" Kagome shouted before lifting up her hands. She knew this was the only shot she would have, the pain in her legs was making it had to focus and most of her energy had left her body. But, she would succeed in saving the people's souls and protecting her friends. So, as the nature spirit moved forward she focused all her powers into her hands for a valiant attack. She brought her hands together, focusing her mind and heart as a brilliant blue light appeared in her hands. Then, as she felt the sheer force of Uriya's approach and heard the rustle of branches as the trees were swung down to destroy her, she let her attack go.

The ray of pure energy and light erupted from the priestess's hands, exploding into her opponent's chest and buffeting it back as it lost one of its clubs. The light enveloped the creature, wrapping around its being and taking hold of it before forcing it to move back as the entire dark forest echoed in pain and shock from the sheer brightness which exuded from the once dominant shadow realm.

"Fox Fire!" Shippo shouted, multiple fire balls being sent from his hands as the boy swung orb after orb up at the creature. His attacks hit random parts of her body which caused Uriya to shriek louder. He stood next to Kagome, ready to try and drag her back to the portal should this fail and yet he summoned up all the strength he had, continuously summoning fireball after fireball in an attempt to silence the creature.

Sina was nowhere to be seen and yet she was working hard, hidden in the sheer brilliant light that was both of her allies attacks. She sliced at the creature's legs and arms, dodging around Shippo's fireballs while attacking wherever she could. Large cracks in the wood appeared in numerous places all over the nature spirit's form, deep gouges which signified her sister's determination not only to save her soul but also protect the humans.

The attacks the trio made were strong and amazing, yet only last a minute at most. Eventually, the light from the priestess's attacks died down while the fox demon's fire balls halted as well. He collapsed against the rock next to her, panting with aching arms as he moved over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders protectively. They both knew that if this had not worked they might be breathing their last breaths.

But, Uriya did not get up. The large, hulking nature spirit was gone, seemingly incinerated from the combination of light and fire. Its body slowly melted away to reveal the spriggan-like creature that Kagome had seen earlier. She laid there, staring up at the sky, not moving though her now green glowing eyes still hinted she was alive. The two could not hear or witness what was happening in the continuing moments.

"I haven't seen the stars in a long time" Uriya said softly, her voice weak as she saw the glittering jewels in the dark sky above her. Her body was cold and pain filled her form yet a warmth enveloped her as two arms came around her shoulders. "Did you notice how much they had changed? The constellations are different now" Sina comforted her, whispering in her ear as she held her older sibling close. "I am sorry, Sina, I was so blinded, I could not see... I have done terrible things" She admitted, glancing to her sister before looking away in shame. "Ssh, it is okay, we need to go home now, alright? We can go see mama and daddy, we don't need to be here anymore" The youngest said softly, patting back the spirit's hair softly.

"But, after what they did..." Uriya's body pulsed with a wave of anger, the dark wood around them reacting to it as the vines reached out towards her once again. But, her sister repelled them back, putting her foot down and making them move away. "These people have done nothing to us, I understand you were protecting me, but these humans are not bad, we cannot believe they are evil otherwise can we blame them for thinking the same of us?" Sina asked her, looking down at her face while offering a soft smile. "Come on, sister, let go, we can go together and be up there where the stars are" She encouraged, petting her cheek lightly.

"Haha... When did you start acting old than me?" The nature spirit commented, a smile forming on her face before her eyes suddenly stopped glowing. A gentle breeze moved across the broken area, the body dissipating before vanishing onto the wind and floating up towards the sky. "Thank you, Kagome-san" Sina stated, appearing to her two friends once again while offering a happy smile before she suddenly faded away as well.

The dark area slowly started to melt away while Shippo put Kagome's arm on his shoulders and showed an impressive amount of strength by lifting her up. The two moved back slowly, watching around them as the area created by both sister's slowly vanished onto the winds. When there was but the river left the two leaped through together, the fox demon holding the priestess close to insure she would not have a hard landing when they reached the other side.

Upon landing on the other side Kagome and Shippo were greeted by Kaede, whom's face held a shocked and relieved look to it as the old woman rushed forward to help the two up. The fox demon seemed no worse for wear but the young priestess still was unable to pick herself up. Pain radiated from her legs where the tree had fallen down onto her causing a dark greenish blue swelling under both her knee. "Come, we must get her back to the fire, I will treat her there" The mentor instructed, working with the boy to help their fallen ally up while gingerly moving forward.

"What do you think happened to the spirits?" Shippo inquired, glancing off behind them to the river. There was no sign of the terror and battle which had taken place, everything had faded away when the sisters had finally let go. "I think there are okay now, I hope so at least" Kagome answered him, pain and fatigue flashing along her features now that the adrenaline of battle had passed. For years she had depended on Inuyasha to carry her through these sorts of situations, it had been her first time really standing on her own, figuratively at least...

-Scene Switch-

It was becoming infuriating to just sit there standing at the well waiting for something to happen. But, Sota had spent most of his day waiting on a sign from his sister, anything to tell him that she might be alright. Yuka had ended up sticking around, the girl finding herself more interested in the possibility that another creature might come through the portal than what might be on sale at the mall.

"Do you think she is dead?" Yuka stated, walking up behind him with a bag of chips in her hand. She munched readily on them, having been stealing food from their home all day as she waited with the boy. "Don't say that, I am sure she is fine" He scolded her, glancing over his shoulder and rolling his eyes then glancing back to the building he sat in front of. If his dream was correct, she was in trouble. But, his big sister had faced this sort of thing before, right?

The two were silent for a couple of moments, simply staring at the well while awaiting for something to happen which would set their minds at ease. Sora was home now but she chose not to be outside, their constant need to wait for a signal from her daughter was both distressful and a habit she did not want to create. After all, what her son might not have remembered is that when this had all started his mother had been the one out there whom had waited just like them. There was never a sign, though, no matter how much you prayed and wished for it.

But, for once it would seem that her pessimistic ideals towards the Feudal Era were unfounded. As Sota sat next to the well, casting a curious glance to the older girl whom was eating all of his family's precious food he did not notice the dull light which appeared from deep in the well for a moment. A small orb flew over the edge, traveling across the ground quickly before coming up next to him and settling on his shoulder unknown to the boy. Yuka was the first to notice it.

"Demon!" She shouted, tossing her chips into the air before quickly losing her balance and falling back onto her butt, trying to attempt a back crab walk to get away from the little glowing dot which surely must have intended to eat the boy's soul. He, in turn, just glanced to it with one raised eyebrow while tilting his head back. This was... Unexpected but he doubted it was a demon. They tended to not be as glowing and small.

"Your sister misses you and is well" Sina's voice whispered into his ear, the little orb lifting up before twirling around his head a few times and then shooting into the sky. Both of them watched it go upwards until vanishing where it could not be seen before one of them spoke. "This is why I wait here, you just don't see this shit on television, evil lizard bastards and squeaky talking orbs" Yuka stated in an off-handed manner as she reached down and fetched her bag of chips, shaking the dirt off of it and looking inside then shrugging as she pulled another out.

Sota did not answer her. Instead, the boy just sat there and looked up at the sky before turning his gaze back to the well. Suddenly, a strong look formed in his eyes as he moved to stand. He paused a moment and squared his shoulders before walking into the small building and up to the stone portal. "Hey, what are you doing?" She called after him curiously, following after the kid curiously.

He was bent over the edge of the well, balance precariously with half of his body held over the darkness as he used a small flash light he had kept in his pocket to look down into the darkness. There was a vast emptiness, something which echoed danger. But, it was not like Shin Dai was down there once again. This was his own self preservation whispering that if he jumped in he would surely hit the bottom and break his neck. It was just... Curious. Like something was driving him forward and making him want to jump in.

But, that was a ridiculous notion... Right?

-Scene Switch-

Kaede had been wrapping her legs with herbs for the past hour, the fire comforting her as Kagome sat close to it with her eyes closed. She had used so much energy during the fight with Uriya that she nearly had passed out, yet now she felt too tired to even darkness of the forest had receded, no longer a pressing danger and instead just a normal blanket of nightly shade. Her mind kept drifting back to the two sisters and what had forced them apart. Demons and Humans had been fighting for as long as anyone could remember. There were always the good guys like Inuyasha and Shippo but that couldn't possibly redeem and entire species. However, despite having this knowledge it seemed like the second incident in only a few days where she had learned that Humans had taken the initiative and created a problem where there had been none. Did Sina really have to die? What about Uriya? As she pondered this, her friends spoke quietly in an effort to let her rest.

"Aye, life can be difficult during these trying times, you have not been around two days and ye already faced three demons and a spirit of nature and vengeance, have any regrets?" The old woman questioned, finally finishing with the wraps on both of her student's legs. There would be pain and it would be a rough night but the swelling should be brought down by morning. As far as she could tell, nothing would be broke but they would be significantly slowed down. The girl had been injured badly and yet she had pushed on, something which made her both proud and worried.

"Nope" Shippo's answer was direct and simple as he sat on the other end of the fire attempting to roast some fish while a small iron pot heated up their rice. He had been hesitant to take water from the river to drink but according to Kaede it would be okay now that the situation with the spirits had been handled. "I got used to this sort of thing when I was younger, we faced a lot of huge and deadly beasts, I know when Kagome is around we can do anything" He stated, sounding confident though his tone held something he was trying to hide. Perhaps, uncertainty? Well, that was something she could understand.

None of them had truly appreciated the young girl as she should have been during her first journey. They had all seen her as inexperienced or in need of constant protection. The elderly priestess herself was secretly guilty of even once considering her a burden. But, when she had been taken from them they had all seen her for what she really was. That smiling face, the big heart and her drive to do good even when the people around her thought such an act idiocy... It was admirable. Perhaps fate had taken her from them to teach them all a lesson. Now they could see her strength, but was that enough? This battle had been won by a combination of strength and luck that the river's portal had been opened when it did.

It was not that she doubted their abilities or that Shippo did either. In fact, the two of them more so worried that they were weighing their friend down. She had emerged as a powerful fighter whom at some point had developed the determination and special abilities which could win the battle. While Kaede had opened the river and the fox demon had crossed through to hurl fireballs at Uriya... Kagome had been forced to fight a majority of it alone and now she had been injured. They should have noticed she was gone sooner and gone to find her then.

"Stop worrying about it" The young priestess suddenly mumbled, reaching up to rub her forehead as the other two glanced up to her with curious expressions. "I can sense your stress and it is giving me a headache, we did well and no one knew that a crazy ass shadow world existed in the river, we beat her and that is what matters" Kagome told them, opening her eyes before offering a soft smile to them both. "I couldn't have made it this far without you guys, so don't worry and let's relax or I will smack you both over the head" She scolded, seemingly imitating her mentor before leaning back and closing her eyes once more.

She was getting stronger, Kaede could sense this. The girl was getting better and picking up on people's emotions and her abilities that had been witnessed during the battle were a sign that she would just continue increasing in power. But, was this a good sign? Usually the gods gave a person strength when the trials they would face would be hard. Just what was in store for them?

Only fate knew.

End Chapter

((A/N:Finally! It seemed as if everything was getting in the way of me getting this chapter out to you all. My dad's computer died and he ended up needing to borrow mine for a few days while they blew the dust out of it and fired it up again. Not to mention, it seems like there are a million things to do. On a different note from my ranting, though I am glad to have gotten this out. Finally The Curse of Uriya is done and now we can see what else might be in store. With Kagome having a rough time moving it would be great for Kirara to show up but I doubt her luck would be as good. Let us hope they can keep the pace, otherwise their luck might turn and it hasn't been that good in the first place, haha! Well, I look forward to seeing you all in the next chapter and I wish you all a Happy Upcoming Thanksgiving. Ta for now.~))

Chapter Thirteen, Those First Few Steps... , Preview:

-It was a beautiful day, honestly. The sun was shining down upon them and the breeze was cool and sweet. There was the smell of honey suckle and small forest flowers on the air and the clouds were big, fluffy balls of cotton in the sky. The other three were moving along, Shippo playing with Mr. Frog while Kaede led the way and talked back and forth with him. But, even with all of the enjoyment around her Kagome found herself despising the day.

Her legs hurt. So did her feet. Her hips. Her right arm and for some weird reason her back tooth! It was like everything hurt. Now she knew why it had been so easy to let Inuyasha handle every fight during her last journey. It did not matter how badly he was beaten up his demonic healing abilities made him as good as new like that. But, she only had herbs and bandages, though they got rid of her pain while she rested they only dulled it when she was forced to move. But, she couldn't just expect everyone to wait around for however many days it took for her body to get over what it had been put through.

Her two companions had been attentive but she quickly grew tired of their worried glances. It was comforting to know they cared but it also seemed to remind her of her pain and make it worse. Why could they not just reach Sango's Village already? She did not remember it being this far out. "You keep grunting and groaning, like that will solve anything" Kaede teased back to her,, making Kagome glare at the back of her head for a moment. Suddenly she reached up and a moment later had stolen her mentor's walking stick. "Wh-What!? What is this?" The old woman shouted out in surprise, nearly toppling over before steadying herself.

Kagome hobbled on ahead faster, keeping just far enough from the old woman's reach as Kaede chased after her trying to get her precious cane and weapon back. Shippo ran along behind them, laughing happily while holding a complaining Mr. Frog in his hands. There was no way they could have known the beautiful day and calm atmosphere was a veil which hid such treachery behind it.

Because off in the trees not far from them, something was watching. Perhaps, more appropriately said, somethings...-


	13. Those First Few Steps

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hello everyone, I hope the holiday season treated you well! I apologize so much for the recent gap in my chapters. The season kept me busy with cheer and celebrations while the beginning of a new year keeps me busy with all the things I now need to get done. But, I am back to my normal schedule mostly and now have the time to get back to our story. I hope you all are excited and I will keep you no long, on to Chapter Thirteen! Off you go now, go read it. I wrote it just for you and I know you are not here for my ramblings, haha.~! ^.^))

Chapter Thirteen

Those First Few Steps

It was a beautiful day, honestly. The sun was shining down upon them and the breeze was cool and sweet. There was the smell of honey suckle and small forest flowers on the air and the clouds were big, fluffy balls of cotton in the sky. The other three were moving along, Shippo playing with Mr. Frog while Kaede led the way and talked back and forth with him. But, even with all of the enjoyment around her Kagome found herself despising the day.

Her legs hurt. So did her feet. Her hips. Her right arm and for some weird reason her back tooth! It was like everything hurt. Now she knew why it had been so easy to let Inuyasha handle every fight during her last journey. It did not matter how badly he was beaten up his demonic healing abilities made him as good as new like that. But, she only had herbs and bandages, though they got rid of her pain while she rested they only dulled it when she was forced to move. But, she couldn't just expect everyone to wait around for however many days it took for her body to get over what it had been put through.

Her two companions had been attentive but she quickly grew tired of their worried glances. It was comforting to know they cared but it also seemed to remind her of her pain and make it worse. Why could they not just reach Sango's Village already? She did not remember it being this far out. "You keep grunting and groaning, like that will solve anything" Kaede teased back to her,, making Kagome glare at the back of her head for a moment. Suddenly she reached up and a moment later had stolen her mentor's walking stick. "Wh-What!? What is this?" The old woman shouted out in surprise, nearly toppling over before steadying herself.

Kagome hobbled on ahead faster, keeping just far enough from the old woman's reach as Kaede chased after her trying to get her precious cane and weapon back. Shippo ran along behind them, laughing happily while holding a complaining Mr. Frog in his hands. There was no way they could have known the beautiful day and calm atmosphere was a veil which hid such treachery behind it.

Because off in the trees not far from them, something was watching. Perhaps, more appropriately said, somethings..

The three beings stood in perfect silence, none making a single movement as they focused on keeping their being there a secret. The miko and her two unlikely allies had proven themselves interesting adversaries and being discovered earlier might prove to be not only difficult but dreadfully boring should they destroy the heroes so easily. They were simply observing and spoke telepathically to keep themselves from being sensed.

'I do not understand why we are simply not ripping into them now, one shout and I could have the three of them splattered across the trees' The tallest of the three spoke. He was hidden in shadow and yet towered above the other two by several feet. His frame was large and bulky while three huge horns spread from his head. He brought his fists together, forcing his hands to relax before clasping his fingers together. The beings form radiated rage and anger, yet in a controlled fashion which made him even more dangerous. He knew how to channel his emotions and in doing so, could do much damage to his opponents.

'We were summoned to kill, but not yet, our mistress desires to know more about the traveling Miko whom has calmed the forest and settled the spirits" The shortest of the three stated. He was stumpy and small, crouched over with his whole body hidden beneath black robes. His arms clutched a large staff which he leaned against for support while a racking cough suddenly shook his form. 'We are to observe and nothing more, at least, until ordered otherwise'.

'She is rather beautiful, I wonder if we were summoned to assuage the old woman's jealousies, that would be reasonably understanding for when she drops that shroud she wears I am... Not vexed by whom is underneath' The last of the trio stated. Clearly feminine and soft, her voice echoing that while a long, curved sword sat at her side. She was the only one whom's face could be partially scene, obscured by a crimson and gold hood that showed a soft mouth with ruby lips that settled into a seductive and yet strange smile. 'It would not be the first time we were brought up for such trivial matters'.

'Pah, to think, you profess a love for everything and yet speak ill of our mistress! We were not summoned for something as idiotic as jealousy, only you would do that, this has to be something big' The smallest explained, his tone reprimanding. Clearly, while the three might have been agents of the witch they had no knowledge of Inuyasha or what her plans might have been. But, they were never summoned to question, only to take orders so that they could return to their rest upon completing their task.

'I mean no ill will towards her, I am sure were the darkness not so thick around her I would see a beautiful soul, I simply stated her outside visage is not appealing, a truth which the both of you know is just that' The woman answered, her eyes following the Miko and her friends as they climbed a hill. Her thoughts were completely impure which forced the other two to block her out for a moment before the largest spoke once more.

'Enough, we have taken the information the witch desire. Uriya has been defeated and the Miko's power is indeed growing, they are now heading west, let us return to report this' With that, he vanished, leaving the other two behind. A second later, the smallest of the two vanished as well but the third stayed behind, her ruby lips falling from the smile which had formed as she watched Kagome closely.

'Years ago I tried to kill you, thinking you were weak, but now your true fate is emerging, I am glad I did not strike you down back then' Her thoughts whispered, such impure images she had created before now vanishing almost as if she had created them to keep the others from her mind. 'Be wary, things are changing and you have no idea what is going on yet, I hope without those dog demons around you can survive long enough to figure it out' With that, she vanished as well.

Shippo glanced up, looking to the trees for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "Everything alright?" Kagome asked from behind him, she was still hobbling along, clearly aching and having trouble pushing forward. He doubled back once again, putting his head underneath her arm and helping take the weight off her more painful leg before answering. "Nah, I just smelled something weird for a moment" The fox demon admitted, shrugging lightly before offering her a soft yet worried smile. He knew she was not in the best of shape and yet they were forced to push forward at the old woman's demand.

"This part of the land has changed, nothing is as it once was and the spirits are very bothered because of it, you will smell odd things, keep yourself focused" Kaede instructed, actually ahead of them now as she led the way up hill. It had not been long into their journey and yet something was emerging from her. She no longer depended on her staff as much and was moving more quickly. She also stood straighter and seemed more determined. This visage is what helped the other two to feel more comfortable and listen to her. But, as her student let out a soft, pained gasp the elderly priestess was forced to slow. "Aye, we simply cannot keep this pace, we will rest atop this hill" She told them, thrusting her staff into the ground before turning towards the other two.

"Thank god" Kagome stated. the fox demon helping her sit before she spread her legs out. Her whole body ached but specifically her right leg. Her mentor feared for it, saying that possibly there might have been some internal damage from the tree. She suspected the same as well but would not admit it, after all, they were not far from Sango's village. A few more days and then she could get some adequate care. If it was there... No! She would not even consider such a thing. Yes, the world was changing but the Demon Slayer's were always strong and resolute. They could withstand anything, right?

All three knew their position was not good. Their strongest fighter was injured and bruised, the other two were exhausted and their food supplies were going to run out soon. They had not found enough to sustain them until reaching the Demon Slayer village and even though the boy could fish, the river was now behind them. None of them spoke about this, however, knowing that a realistic opinion would damper the only thing they still had left. Hope. Sango's Village would be there and they would find help. Right now, it was all they had.

Their Frog pet suddenly appeared, leaping from the bag that was on Kagome's shoulder before hopping around and stretching its legs. It had been lazy and enjoyed her carrying it along but now it was determined to try to help. Such a peculiar thing which attracted the your priestess's attention. Something about it was just odd in a way she could not explain. It was no ordinary frog. But, what was different about it?

"You two rest, I am going to scout on ahead and see if I can find anything, we aren't too far from the village so there might be a trader or something" Shippo stated, looking off into the distance. There was another forest ahead of them, something which did little to calm his worried nerves. If him and Kaede had not broken through the river's portal when they did then Uriya would most likely have killed Kagome. It had been luck which saved the day. That was not something which made him feel comfortable because eventually everyone's luck ran out. Without Inuyasha around, he wanted to be the man to tow the line but everyone saw him as just a boy, which he still was but that did not help his confidence.

"Aye, good idea, just don't ye go far, just in case" Kaede let that heavy statement hang in the air as the fox demon nodded and then dropped the bag he had been carrying next to the rest of their things. In a short time, they had already been attacked twice and their journey had just started. At any moment another band of demons could pop up itching to either eat them or do something equally painful so the sooner they reached an actual village for rest, the better.

"Be careful" Kagome called after him as the boy took off down the hill at a quick pace, intent on surveying the forest and finding something positive to tell the others. The idea of him going off alone was not pleasing yet, she obviously could not follow him so the young priestess simply sighed before leaning back and glancing up to the sky. Clouds were beginning to move in and their usual white and fluffy tint was changing to a dull gray color. "A storm will be upon us soon" Her mentor admitted, knowing they had come to the same conclusion. Great, now they would be hungry and wet unless they found shelter. Hopefully Shippo found something...

-Scene Switch-

"It is a stupid idea" Yuka stated, her hands on her hips as she stood to the side and watched the two boys. It was the middle of the day, school had been let out early and once again Sota and herself had ended up at the well house, this time with Grey joining them. "Didn't her stories say that only she could go through the well? You jump down there, you are going to break your leg and then your mom is probably going to have a nervous breakdown" She warned, peering over the edge curiously. It wasn't as if she had not considered the same thing. But, hell, none of them had any skills for that world. Shin Dai had nearly eaten them! And there was no WiFi.

"I simply suggested it and, yeah, I know the stories" Sota defended, sighing before running his fingers through his hair and then glancing to the roof of the small shelter. Kagome had been gone nearly a week now and his nightmares were getting worse. The frightening fact was that it seemed this was a shared experience. Not only was Yuka having the same ones but Grey's were similar and by the way his mother looked he bet she was having rough nights too. His father would have demanded that this was an omen and shouted that they need to help her, but how?

Things in the house had just been too different with his sister gone. Everything had been quiet and both him and his mother were constant worried wrecks. The realism that was forced upon them had not taken long to set in and with a demon having attacked their home... They were both afraid for her and yet feared what might come through again. Shin Dai might not be an isolated occurrence after all.

"I threw a rock in and nothing happened" Grey admitted, his long hair tied back in a pony tail which dipped over his shoulder as he looked down into the well once more. The boy wanted to help and yet he was also curious. People just didn't see and experience things like this and he wanted to know more about it. Also, if there really was another world on the other side then part of him wanted to go there and witness it. Who didn't want an adventure? Besides, he had more reason than most to want to get away.

"It has to be a living being, I don't think inanimate objects activate it" Sota informed him, stepping up close to his friend and then placing a cautious hand on the other boy's shoulder. A simply protective action to keep him from falling in which was not lost on the third member of their group whom raised her eyebrow but chose not to address it. There were more important things at hand.

"Well, can we just get a cat or something and throw it in? If there is a big swooshy blue light then it went through and if not then I bet it could climb out no worse for wear" Yuka suggested, looking to them both as if the suggestion was valid. However, the two boys simply gave her a reprimanding look before rolling their eyes and returning to the discussion at hand. "Hey, it could work".

Every day they ended up out here, next to the well while discussing Kagome or a possible way to help her. There had been no steps taken to aid their friend and sister which was making all of them antsy and annoyed. It was true, the well was supposed to only work for the priestess and yet something was driving them to try it out. But, how could they when they knew if it did work... Well, what would Sota's mother do? She couldn't possibly handle the knowledge of her son going through. Also, Grey had the home which would come looking for him and Yuka's parents were bound to figure it out whenever they took the time to notice she wasn't there.

Their thoughts on the subject were dropped, however, when Sora shouted from the open kitchen door that lunch was ready. A storm was moving in and it had already been decided that Yuka and Grey would be staying the night. All three glanced to each other, knowing better than to discuss it in front of the woman and nodded their heads before exiting the well house and shutting the door behind them.

As the doors closed a brilliant light shown from the well which filled the small room, missed completely by the small group whom had turned their back to it. The colors changed, blue to pink, pink to yellow and yellow to green before subsiding as a hand grasped the edge of the well. "Give me a boost, dammit!" One man shouted to the other who's shoulders he now stood on. His claws dug into the stone but he simply could not get enough leverage to pull himself up. "I am trying you ass, it isn't like I have done it before" The other complained, balancing his friend there before suddenly shoving the man upwards and tossing him over the edge. "Now, help me out" He ordered as the other recovered.

It would seem the modern era had two new visitors. But, whom were they? More importantly, were they a threat?

-Scene Switch-

He tried to keep his ears open and his nose alert to any scent that could mean a threat. Shippo did not feel comfortable leaving Kagome and Kaede alone but he knew that scouting ahead had been a better option. Their food supplies were dangerously low and the Demon Slayer village might be able to help if he could reach there first. Hell, the humans always dealt with traders and the like, he had to find something! After having made such bad choices he had been forced to grow up. Right now, there was no Inuyasha around to protect them and he wanted to prove himself and not fall flat. So, the fox demon kept a steady pace while moving deeper into the wood.

Everything had changed so quickly. Kagome had commented earlier that day about this fact but what he had not said in return was how he felt the same way. Years ago he had ran this same area with his friends and had come to know every inch of it. Now, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, things were different and it was disconcerting. The most worrisome of differences was the fact that he had yet to see the markers humans would put into the trees and land signaling that there was refuge ahead. In fact, it had been a very long time since he had seen anyone other than his friends whom actually were humans.

Demons had suddenly become more active about two years ago. It was like they all came out of the wood work and then there were fights that took place. Many people had died and Sanctuary had not been the first place he had seen which was destroyed by an evil force. What if the same had happened to the Slayers? He was not well versed in the human settlements and they needed to restock if they wanted to survive. Kagome needed time to heal.

Lost in his own thoughts, Shippo had let his guard down. A rookie mistake which hinted that he still had plenty of training to do. He didn't catch the scent of what was moving around in the shadows until it was already upon him. The spider demon, the size of a tree stump, lunged towards him with its abdomen pointed towards the boy and ready to paralyze. Luckily, he caught it out of the corner of his eye. He leaped back, the creature barely missing him before he brought his hands together and shot out a fireball on instinct. The blast hit the spider with surprising accuracy and it crashed to the ground, hissing and crying as the fires enveloped it.

He knew he was growing tired but how had he missed this? Suddenly, a disgusting scent filled the area as he cringed, glancing around and noticing as from behind the trees multiple spiders appeared. They had been masking themselves! A clever tactic for beings which were usually so primal and instinct driven. Shippo jumped backwards, putting some quick distance between him and the different trees as more and more spiders appeared. He knew this was not good, he needed to warn Kagome and Kaede.!

"Yah!" He shouted, holding up his hands and focusing his abilities then swinging his arms. The fox demon sent multiple fireballs crashing into the different groups of spiders whom seemed to easily catch on fire. One would be caught in the flames and slam into another which would in turn make that one panic. It was an excellent and yet narrow minded tactic because soon the creatures discovered not to face him head on. They started to climb into the trees,, using the large wood to block his flaming strikes before appearing suddenly and leaping down towards him.

But, Shippo was ready for them.

His trusty yo-yos appeared in his hands, the boy growling angrily as he glared at the leaping spiders. His friends were struggling and none of them needed this right now! With a quick flick of his wrists, his bladed toys were swung out, slicing the spiders out of the air and send different parts of them crashing off to the side. His attacks were effortless and almost graceful as his anger grew. A few of the beings go close but he easily side-stepped their attacks before jumping away and either blasting or slicing the one that had gotten into his personal space.

However, the spiders were determined and even with their prey doing such a capable job at fending them off they pushed forward, forcing him further and further back. After a while, Shippo could feel himself becoming winded and he knew eventually his arms would begin to hurt and he would get sloppy. There was always the choice of a quick retreat, however, if one of those things jumped him from behind then it would be game over! As his mind scrambled for what he should do, a light shown at the end of the tunnel in the form of a chakram which came slicing downwards out of nowhere, piercing an unsuspecting spider.

Suddenly another did and another. In moments, the creatures which had been so focused were either crying out in pain, giving their dying breaths or retreating away as fast as their many legs would take them. The fox demon stared in surprise before quickly shrinking back, his instincts ordering him to do so as a group of people suddenly appeared in the distance.

"Don't let them escape!" The order was sharp and clear as multiple human men and women appeared from different areas both above and below. They pursued the retreating spiders as Shippo pressed himself against the tree which he was hiding behind. None seemed to notice but one stayed behind as the numerous others moved to chase down their prey. Demon Hunters, he was sure of it. Very skilled ones at that. This was not good, one wrong move and this guy would probably cut of his head before he could utter a word. The boy moved to sneak away before hearing someone clear out their throat.

In the moment which it had taken him to turn from the tree and plan his escape route the man whom had stayed behind was now in front of him. The taller boy looked down at the fox demon with his hands on his hips. There was a mask covering his face and dark leather armor covered most of his form except for his upper arms and knees where the gloves and boots met the rest of his ensemble. Both were quiet for a moment while each considered what to do.

"You are Shippo, aren't you?" The man asked, his words slightly muffled by the mask as the boy looked up in surprise before slowly nodding his head. Wait! It had taken him a moment but now that he had seen through his fear, these demon slayers must be from Sango's village! Which meant the place could not be far and his friends could eat properly tonight! Well, as long as this guy did not kill him that is.

"Oh, I thought so, we watched you for a while and you did a damn good job, too many for once person, though, what are you doing out here alone? Sango had told me you were off on your own but I did not want to believe it" Just like that, the others posture relaxed. He pulled down his cloth mask and Shippo's eyes widened as he realized that an older Kohaku now stood before him.

The other had changed, seemingly maturing at a faster rate. He was still a good bit taller than the fox demon, his features were more focused and his hair was a little long sending dark black curls along his shoulders and ears. He was stronger and faster than he had been but his eyes held a kind curiosity which relaxed the other so that he could speak. Okay, good, no one was killing him today.

"Wait, what? You watched me? Those damned things could have killed me!" Shippo shouted at him, huffing before moving past the man to collect his yo-yos and stuff them back into his pockets. This is why he hated Demon Slayers, they loved to watch and observe instead of acting outright. That had been scary as hell! He hated spiders. "Oh, there was no harm, you had it in control and we came in when we were needed" Kohaku defended simply, rolling his eyes and glancing off to the side. The others would be back soon enough, those spiders held little to no challenge whatsoever.

"Is there anyone with you?" The Demon Slayer inquired as his Fox Demon acquaintance gave a nod of his head. Oh, Kagome would be so happy to see Sango and she might even be happy to see this guy too. But, there was much to explain as he began their story...

-scene switch-

The three stood in front of the television, two holding Wii controllers while the other was off to the side staring off at the screen. After eating, Ms. Higurashi had decided to take a nap since she would be going out that night. They had vowed to play some video games and do their homework (perhaps, not in the order they decided to do it) but this was proving to be rather... Boring.

Yuka and Sota were simply going through the motions, smacking the tennis ball back and forth across the court. One or the other would randomly get feisty and slam it across the field but that was about the extent of the excitement. Grey stood off to the side, absently staring at the window and off into the front yard. He seemed a million miles away and there seemed to be a lot on his mind. However, the main topic everyone thought of was that damned well.

"Good shot" "Thanks" The two playing the game traded useless compliments while Sota sighed softly and then tried to score another point on her. The girl returned it and for a brief moment things seemed like they might take an exciting turn. Then, he missed and she actually won the game. "I often let Sota win" Grey admitted, earning a bit of a reprimanding look from his friend as he gave a slight chuckle.

They were all trying to avoid the obvious topic and keep their minds on something else, anything else at this point. His mother was beginning to get worried and she knew they often ended up talking about the portal and meeting there nearly every day since Kagome had left. But, normal life just seemed so drawn out now. There was a magical world on the other side of that well, one that their priestess friend had made sound fantastic with demons and epic fights. Sure, Shin Dai had been frightening but it had also been exciting and thrilling. Besides, they had killed him. Mainly with Kagome doing a lion's share of the word, but still, he was dead.

But, this was a topic they tried to pretend didn't exist as it was Yuka's turn to pick the next sport's game. Yeah, this was their life. They would eventually get used to it. Even though someone they knew was on the other side and risking her life possibly at this very moment. She could need their help or something. But, the portal might not open and they could hurt themselves. No real way they were willing to risk that.

"You know, I am just considering here, but if we tied a rope around someone's waist and lowered them into the well then technically would that not keep them from breaking their leg?" Grey suddenly asked, messing around with his pony tail while not realizing the surprised looks he received from the other two. "I mean, really, either the portal opens when they reach the bottom or it doesn't and we have our answer and can stop thinking about it" He muttered absently, glancing up to the two and raising an eyebrow at their looks. "What?"

Moments later they were outside. Sota had gone into his shed and fetched a long line of rope which he was struggling to carry as Yuka quickly opened the well house doors while being sure not to make too much of a racket. The last thing they wanted was Kagome's mother looking out a window and seeing what they were doing. It would probably land them in some hot water.

"Guys, you know I was just joking, right? This is rather foolish, I mean, who will we even lower down into there?" He asked, glancing to the girl in their group which seemed to be the obvious pick. "Me? Oh, hell no, I just ate three bowls of his mother's rice and beans, I probably weigh an extra ten or twenty pounds, also, I am bloated" Yuka told him, glancing to the other member of their trio as he quickly started untying the rope. "It won't be me either, I know I am the heaviest, it has to be you" Sota stated, glancing to the other boy whom quickly shook his head and stepped back.

"Now, come on guys, I have been coming to tolerate and comprehend a lot, hell, demons exist, that was something big and Sota, I like your sister and all but she is some magical priestess and I am some kid whom likes WiFi and hates heights, so, no, I won't do it" Grey told them, crossing his arms while looking to the two resolutely and keeping his ground. It was a deep dark well that liked to spit out demons and eat young women, that was not something which sounded like fun. Besides, they had not packed anything and what if the portal worked? What then? They were not magical priestesses! This was a bad idea. Oh, why had he opened his mouth?

Not ten minutes later he had a rope around his waist and was sitting on the edge of the well. "I hate you guys" He muttered, his eyes on the vast darkness beneath his feet which dangled over the edge. "No you don't, you know I would never drop you, now, come on, I got you" Sota comforted, the two sharing a look before the other boy looked over his shoulder. "I know YOU got me, it is her I am worried about" He said, shaking his head and he shivered lightly.

"Hey now! I am very fit thank you very much, last year I took a whole semester of swim club so that I could be close to that cutie Soushi Kanabe, I even got first place a few times, granted, he was very boring" Yuka told them both, wrapping the rope around her hands and squeezing it tightly while nodding her head. "Come on, we got this" She encouraged, the two boys sharing another look before both nodded their head. If this failed and Grey broke his leg, they would just blame it all on her. Good idea.

A weightless and yet oddly weighted feeling enveloped Grey as he slowly lowered himself over the edge. His hands grasped the stones so tightly his knuckles turned white before he finally released it and swung slowly back and forth. For a moment, he heard his friends grunt and gasp, struggling to grow accustomed to the new weight they now held. But, after a moment it seemed to be okay and slowly they started to lower him downwards into the darkness. A small 'click' was heard and a small flashlight he had placed in his pocket was turned on, the boy using it to glance around at the dark, rounded walls. "I am so going to die down here" Was his statement which echoed up out of the well.

"You are not going to die" Sota stated, both his hands clenching the rope tightly while he looked back to Yuka. She was working quick to wrap one end of the life line to the handle of the large door, anchoring it down as well as she could be moving back into position behind him and using the added slack to slowly lower their friend down further. Was there going to be enough rope to reach their goal?

"Is anything flashy or creepy happening?" Yuka asked, using part of his shirt to hold the rope so that it would not burn her hands. Slowly more and more of the lifeline vanished over the edge of the well and for a moment there was no answer before a light gasp could be heard. "I see a spider!" Grey shouted, clearly not finding this fun anymore as he made it his best intention to stay as far away from the bug as he could.

Who knows what would have happened if this had all gone to plan? Maybe something and maybe nothing. But, the group had missed one crucial detail. As Sota and Yuka slowly lowered their friend further and further down they did not notice the door to the well house slowly being pushed figures entered between the ones holding their friends and would not have been sensed if it were not for the small cracking sound of a pebble beneath one of their feet.

Yuka was the first to glance back before her eyes widened at the two men whom were clothed in fur and leather. At first she simply gasped and then upon instinct released the line before falling backwards as she shouted in surprise. Those were not humans! Sota shouted loudly, struggling to hold the rope as he dug his feet in. The whole scene went to hell in less than a moment. The rope, which had been anchored to the door caused it to slam shut, smacking into one of the men whom had entered and sending him rushing head first into one of the wooden support beams. Sota tried in vain to dig his feet in, feeling sharp pains in both his ankles and hands. One moment, he was standing at the edge and the next he was flung into the well!

Grey had no idea what was going on but suddenly he found himself in a free fall, screaming in shock and expecting a sudden stop which should have been the rough ground. The line caught him however, causing the boy to gasp out as his hips cramped. Then suddenly a heavy, grasping weight slammed into him before he found himself clutching on to Sota with the other boy holding on to him for dear life. Neither could speak as the shock of their situation left them breathless and in pain. Slowly they tilted until Grey was upside down. A second later, his friend slid from his grasp and he shouted out in surprise before grasping the boy's wrists.

There they dangled together, one looking down at the other as they both tried to keep their breathing even. The rope would hold them right? Well, it would have but Yuka's knots around the tied boy's waist were what started to give way. The subtle sound of the rope, slowly snapping as the two shook while their anchor began to loosen. Sota looked at their enclosed surroundings, kicking at the walls and finding there to be no foothold. There was nothing he could do! "Let me go" He instructed, looking back up to his friend whom instantly shook his head in return. "Grey! Let me go!" There was no telling what would happen when he fell. If the well did not activate then only the gods knew how far down it actually was. His sister had been lucky when she had fallen in that one time but her powers had still cushioned her. They both could die!

"I won't let you go" Grey whispered breathlessly as he felt the tie begin to release around his waist. His heart started to beat a mile a minute and for a second he considered telling the other he knew this would happen. But, instead, only one statement came out. "You know I could never let you-" Before it was done the rope snapped and both cried out, never releasing each other as they vanished into the darkness only for the sounds of their voices to be cut off suddenly.

End Chapter

((A/N:Finally! I am sorely behind with this chapter but it is done and I enjoyed it. Things changed in my thought process and now we have a few different directions to go in. Whom knows what I am planning for Sora and Grey? What about our struggling Kagome and her friends? Also, whom the hell has been helping her? What of the two men that entered the well house? Is Yuka okay? What about Ms. Higurashi? I guess we will all see in my next installment! I hope I have not lost all my readers and thanks for taking your time to go through this. Bye for now.~))

Chapter Thirteen, Those First Few Steps... , Preview:

Kohaku was acting strange, this she knew for sure as Kagome sat off to the side. Her injured leg was balanced up on the porch while the other dangled off to the side. Surprisingly, she was already beginning to feel better. Perhaps, it was the high wooden walls and all of the people around them or maybe it was due to the work that both Kaede and the Demon Slayer Nurse had worked together on. Her leg no longer pained her and her body was quickly relaxing which left her with a more clear mind. There was a lot to ask about and it seemed to make the boy across from her nervous and withdrawn.

She had already asked about Sango a few times before, had he even answered her? After taking her fall everything had been a bit jumbled together. If the other had said something, she promptly forgot it. But, why had she not seen her friend? The fact that Sango had not made herself known was worrisome. Surely, she would have been the first by her side once more? It left an uneasy feeling in the young priestess's stomach.

"She hasn't been seen in some time" Kohaku finally admitted, standing there with his arms cross as he stared up at the darkening sky. A multitude of emotions flashed through his eyes but the boy had been trained on how to do so and did well in hiding them. He did not want to distress the woman whom had once been his savior. He owed her a lot. After all, there had been more than once where an angry Inuyasha might have decided to end him while he had been under Naraku's influence. It had always been his sister and her friend which had defended him even when he sought to hurt them.

"Where is she? Is she alive?" Kagome could tell this was hard on the boy. She worried about what his answer would be and hated seeing him uncomfortable over this. But, Sango had always been strong and someone she could depend on. There was a long journey in front of her and it was one which she needed her best friend by her side. Kaede and Shippo could not be expected to tow the line themselves and her own talents were still being trained. They needed a Demon Slayer, someone whom could tear through their foes with quickened ease. But, most of all... She needed her sister.

"She is dead"

It had been an answer she was not expecting. One which sent her heart to the pits of her stomach and tore it to shreds. It could not be true... It just couldn't. But, by the look in Sota's face, she knew it was what he believed...


	14. Literally Lost

A New Time

By: CreativeCursedChild

Genre: Adventure, Romance, Inspiration.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Inuyasha, except for a few plushies and manga. Those are mine.~

Author's Note: ((Hi there, you. Thanks for making it to chapter fourteen. I am so excited because things are flowing well again. I have started establishing my other FanFictions and farm life is getting busy and interesting. Hopefully, this means it will be a good year. I hope yours is going along well. Now, I won't keep you. There is a lot for you to read so get to it and I hope you enjoy yourself! Onto our journey.~))

Chapter Fourteen

Literally Lost

Kagome had been so shocked to see Kohaku and yet it had been an expected and welcomed sight. Of course Sango's brother would be one of the demon slayers, duh! He was older but she could still see the glimpses of the young man they had fought so hard to save from Naraku's clutches. The boy had only spoken for just a moment after giving her a brief hug. He explained that the village expanded some and now was housed in two separate locations, the first of which was in the middle of the forest to act as a sort of buffer against any large tides of demons which might come.

Shippo had been very ready to tell the story of how he had valiantly and bravely fought off the spiders which attacked him. The thought made her skin crawl and her fox demon son figure seemed adamant and determined to pretend like the demon slayers had not aided him much. She suspected differently but would allow him his own happy thoughts. The men and women of Sango's clan were very respectful and a few were familiar faces whom she had met at different times. After some handshaking and smiles she found herself sitting on two lengths of rope as four of the men carried her towards the village.

She had fussed for the briefest of moments but there was no denying that the nearly unbearable pain in her leg lessened as she sat there balancing on the ropes the strong men held. Besides, it wasn't as if she could walk the entire way herself with a bum knee so this was actually kind of working out. "I feel like some sort of grand hero being taken on parade" She commented, holding onto the lines to keep steady as they made their way to the town. "In a way, perhaps they are" Kaede informed her from off to the side, hobbling along after refusing any help of her own. She might have been old but her body was still in good order.

The third member of their group was migrating around. Either stay right next to Kagome or drifting away from the Demon Slayers to stay on the outside of the group. It was hard to feel comfortable around these people even if they had known him before. Tensions between demons and humans had grown and he could see the wary look in some of the men and women's eyes. They didn't feel comfortable with having a fox demon in their midst. So, he was being careful and chose to remain as inconspicuous as possible.

"If ye don't back off I will smack ye with my staff!" Kaede threatened, shaking off one of the men whom had reached out to offer her a hand. The elderly woman was clearly tired and yet her independence demanded that she continue making way herself. She want her young priestess student and the fox demon boy to know that she could be dependable and refuse to show the weakness her age might create in other people. Besides, oddly enough, she had felt more vitalized over the past few days than her whole time in the village. It felt as if she would make a real difference now. For once, perhaps she could step out of Kikyo's shadow.

"She means it, I have a few knots to prove it" Shippo stated from off to the side, quickly putting a little distance between him and the old woman when she cast a bland look in his direction. The boy still liked to press her buttons and yet, it kept her young. Figuratively, not literally. Now she understood why Inuyasha had often smacked him over the head for his mouth never stopped running. Though, it wasn't as if the dog demon's yap ever shut either.

Kagome was oddly silent, listening absently to her friends and yet glancing around to the different faces around them. The Demon Slayers were kind but Kohaku seemed to be keeping a certain distance from her. Also, the absence of Sango was weighing heavily on her soul. They had not known the three were out there so perhaps her friend was in the village? But, she knew better. Unless Sango had been out on her own, the older woman would have been out with the others hunting and defending their home. So... Where was she? Her mind created numerous bad answers but she would not allow there to be any stock placed upon them. Kohaku could just be tired and her friend could be anywhere. Give it time.

The Demon Slayers were true to their word and it was not long until they reached the village. One sat in the middle of the wood, a lesser settlement with just a few huts, a watch tower and large, wooden gates. However, this protected the bastion of their society which had grown over the past few years. The Slayers had expanded outwards and now their homes seem more sturdy and permanent. At one time, Sango had spoke like they might venture somewhere else but it seemed now that this would be their home for the long run. The inner walls were much more fortified, even with seals placed on them which Kaede ventured over to inspect. Clearly the outer portion was meant for visitors and traders while the larger walls offered better protection from outside forces.

People came to greet the small group. Different ones whom Kagome remembered and others she seemed to have made a good impression on. Shippo was regarded with caution and yet after Kohaku explained things people seemed to calm down. That was good, she had been worried about an incident for a moment there. Kaede returned to her side once they reached a large, square wooden building where the Slayers lowered her down and then two of the men helped her limp inside. "This is Itaki, she is a very talented alchemist and the closest thing we have to a doctor right now" Kohaku explained softly, standing in the doorway while glancing out to the horizon. The day seemed to have came and went at a fast pace, the sun already on its descent in the sky.

"I will aid in her fixings if you don't mind, alchemists have nothing on a good priestess and her herbs" Kaede muscled in, stepping up next to the younger woman whom instantly cleaned an area off the work place for her. Itaki had short black hair, soft brown eyes and a young face which bore a harsh scar on her right cheek. Something had nearly gotten her at one point. She spoke not a word while sharing with the inspection of Kagome's wound and allowing the elderly woman to take control. The other people left them until just her, her friends, Itaki and Kohaku were the only ones.

"Everything seems to be in working order here, I have to return to my patrols if we are gonna finish before nightfall" Kohaku explained, turning his back to the young priestess and her friends. But, she would not be dismissed that easily. "Where is she, Ko?" It had been a long time since he had heard that nickname. Kagome had created it for him and it had left when she had. This caused the young man to halt in his steps before sighing softly and looking back to her. "Let me finish my rounds and then we can talk" With that statement he left her, unable to stomach a longer stay. What he had to say was going to be hard...

What he had to say did not calm her worried heart but instead caused it to sink into her chest. Something whispered that the answers she would receive were not going to be the ones she desired. The young priestess glanced to her other two friends. Kaede, whom worked with Itaki to begin wrapping her leg in leaves while lightly rubbing it with a herb based solution and Shippo, whom sat against the wall swinging his yo-yo around. She had been lucky with them, two unlikely members whom had weathered their group's falling apart. But, what if the others had not been so lucky?

At least they had made it to the Village. For a moment there, she was starting to be worried. But, they had survived this long and even been through a big fight already. So, as long as things kept going in their positive direction, everything had to work out, right? Of course, every time she seemed to think that things often went wrong or got worse. She did have a rather foreboding feeling after all.

It did not take the two women long once they found a decent rhythm and soon they were finished, the last of the herbs wrapped around her leg before being tightened with light cloths. She could feel the healing already beginning and knew that by the start of tomorrow she would probably be able to walk properly again. Kaede was just that amazing, granted Itaki would get some credit as well. Kagome thanked them both before having the young alchemist help her outside, finding a comfortable spot there on the porch. It had surprised her when she realized that Kohaku was actually back and as she glanced to the sky, she realized why.

The sun was almost half-way vanished from view, the bright orange and yellow glow slowly giving way to the encroaching darkness of night. Soon, the shadows would surround the forest and it would bode well for the Demon Slayers to be safely inside their village at that point. They might be talented but stronger demons came out during the quiet hours. These beings were not often too dangerous, however, if they were not disturbed and it paid not to pick a fight with every creature that was out there. Create one too many battles and it often quickly evolved into a war. The newly flourishing people did not need that.

Kohaku was acting strange, this she knew for sure as Kagome sat off to the side. Her injured leg was balanced up on the porch while the other dangled off to the side. Surprisingly, she was already beginning to feel better. Perhaps, it was the high wooden walls and all of the people around them or maybe it was due to the work that both Kaede and the Demon Slayer Nurse had worked together on. Her leg no longer pained her and her body was quickly relaxing which left her with a more clear mind. There was a lot to ask about and it seemed to make the boy across from her nervous and withdrawn.

She had already asked about Sango a few times before, had he even answered her? After taking her fall everything had been a bit jumbled together. If the other had said something, she promptly forgot it. But, why had she not seen her friend? The fact that Sango had not made herself known was worrisome. Surely, she would have been the first by her side once more? It left an uneasy feeling in the young priestess's stomach.

"She hasn't been seen in some time" Kohaku finally admitted, standing there with his arms cross as he stared up at the darkening sky. A multitude of emotions flashed through his eyes but the boy had been trained on how to do so and did well in hiding them. He did not want to distress the woman whom had once been his savior. He owed her a lot. After all, there had been more than once where an angry Inuyasha might have decided to end him while he had been under Naraku's influence. It had always been his sister and her friend which had defended him even when he sought to hurt them.

"Where is she? Is she alive?" Kagome could tell this was hard on the boy. She worried about what his answer would be and hated seeing him uncomfortable over this. But, Sango had always been strong and someone she could depend on. There was a long journey in front of her and it was one which she needed her best friend by her side. Kaede and Shippo could not be expected to tow the line themselves and her own talents were still being trained. They needed a Demon Slayer, someone whom could tear through their foes with quickened ease. But, most of all... She needed her sister.

"She is dead"

It had been an answer she was not expecting. One which sent her heart to the pits of her stomach and tore it to shreds. It could not be true... It just couldn't. But, by the look in Kohaku's face, she knew it was what he believed. He looked like a brother so in pain from his loss that her heart reached out to him and yet that hopefulness the young priestess held shown again.

"Have you seen the body?" She asked evenly, raising her chin in stark defiance of what he had just told her. Kohaku seemed a little shocked by this but that did not matter. In her heart of hearts, Kagome just knew her friend could not be dead. She would have felt something or experienced it in a dream, they had been so close that her powers would have told her something. Even with centuries between them, Sango would have come to her if she had passed. She wouldn't have just left without saying goodbye. It was something she refused to believe.

The boy was quiet for a while, staring off at the setting sun. She could tell that she had struck a nerve and yet felt no worry over this. There had to be more to it. "No" He finally admitted, his tone tired and withdrawn as he moved to leap off the porch and start off down the path. "Hey! I am not done with you yet" She shouted after him, her loud tone causing him to give a bit of a startled jump as he looked back to her. "Don't think I won't chase you down if you run off, I might have a bum leg but my teacher has taught me how to hobble really well" The young priestess threatened, raising her finger and pointing at him. Somewhere off in the hut she heard Kaede shout "It is meh walking, not hobbling dammit!".

Honestly, with her leg treated she might not be able to properly follow him. They both knew it and the way Kohaku glanced from her and the back to the path hinted that he was contemplating his next move. "Please..." She stated softly in a pleading tone, her looking becoming far less intense and instead her eyes shown with the sadness she had been trying to suppress. They had both been so close to her and if the boy knew something then he just had to tell her. He had to.

Kohaku sighed, hanging his head and reaching up to scratch the back of his neck before slowly turning and walking back up to her. "There is no body" He stated again, standing not far from her now while keeping a bit of a distance between them. It was clear that this was a hard conversation for him and yet he knew she deserved some explanation. "Tell me what happened" Kagome encouraged, placing her hands in her lap and looking up at him. It was clear she wanted to help, even if it would lead her to some knowledge she might not desire to know.

The boy was hesitant for a moment before moving to sit down next to her, his eyes focused on the ground. It was clear that he was contemplating just how to tell her the story and she allowed him the time to do so. As the sun hit its twilight state and a blue hue seemed to take to the light about them, her friend began to speak. "I know how close you were to her so this won't be easy, but you need to be strong" He comforted, offering a small and weak smile. But, the young priestess did not need support. She had her own strength and only sought knowledge about their shared sister. After a moment, the Demon Slayer seemed to figure this out as he nodded his head and finally started his story...

-Scene Switch-

Her head was spinning and there was a throbbing pain in the back of her spine. She tried to open her eyes and realized that all she saw was darkness. Her hands flailed out in front of her and Yuka cried out, not knowing what was going on at first. "I am blind!" She cried out in shock and dismay, waving her hands dramatically. If she had taken but a moment the girl would have come to realize that there was simply a damp rag over her eyes. "Calm down, Yu-Yu, you hit your head" Ms. Higurashi's voice rang out clear as day as the rag was removed so the girl could see again.

She was in the living room, the light was dim and her friend's mother looked completely haggard. In the first few moments, she honestly did not remembered what had happened but after a short time it suddenly came flooding back and her eyes widened. Oh shit! Sota and Grey fell into the well after she had let the rope go. A shred of guilt filtered into her soul as the girl contemplated what to say before glancing into the corner of the room. On the recliner sat one man while the other stood lounging at the end of the room near the entrance, they both had large welts on their head, seemingly where someone had struck them.

Yuka cried out in shock. These were no normal men, they had strange markings, their ears were wrong and an aura different to them than any human. Somehow, she had known the minute her eyes had fallen onto them in the well house. Wait, that was right! These two had been the reason she released the line and dropped her friends. Before the girl could go into a panic she was silenced by Ms. Higurashi whom placed an arm on her shoulder and pressed down light. "Calm yourself and listen" She ordered, giving her daughter's friend a rather severe look before sighing. She was not playing around.

"These two men are Ginta and Hakkaku, they are old friends of Kagome's and came in search of her" Sora informed her, motioning to the two men. The one sitting waved his hand, an open rice ball on his lap and a few of the kernels of rice showing in his teeth. The other seemed more sheepish and withdrawn, acknowledging her with a nod of his head. "Ginta, Hakkaku" The sitting man explained, motioning the first name to himself and then pointing to his friend with the other.

"I heard cries and rushed out to the well house with the first thing I could grab, I smacked them both with an ironing pan and then dragged you out, they were lucky I had not taken the gun my friend Kenshi bought for me" Sora explained, glancing to the two men whom hung their heads in unison at the thought of being taken out so easily. "While you have been out they told me their story, it seems their leader is a man named Koga whom my daughter told me about, it seems valid and they don't seem like much of a threat so I fed them" Ms. Higurashi admitted, drawing shocked and offended looks from the two.

"Hey, it was a unique situation and we are out of place, we were sent just to do some quick recon and fetch her if we could figure out where she was, Ginta got caught up in exploring and when we returned, there were three people in the well house and it went to hell from there" Hakkaku defended, crossing his arms while straightening his posture and squaring his feet. He wanted to seem more intimidating. "Y-Yeah, I mean, you have a wicked arm too but we know how to fight" Ginta agreed, moving to stand before his rice ball fell out of his lap and tumbled all over the carpet.

"Man, come on" Hakkaku reprimanded him as the other quickly dropped to his knees to clean the mess he had made, scooping it into his hands and effectively smearing some into the carpet by accident as he kept his head down. "Sorry Miss, please don't hit us again" Ginta apologized, earning a simple sigh from Ms. Higurashi whom looked back down to her daughter's friend once more.

The well was open. Why? Why was it so active now? She should have suspected something like this would happen one day. Her father would have known what to do but Sora was at a loss. Her daughter had been taken by the Feudal Era and if those men were right... Her son now too. Not to mention one of his friends! How would she explain this if someone came looking for Grey? It had become a highly difficult situation very quickly and she was at a loss on what to do.

"Why were the three of you out there?" It was clear Ms. Higurashi knew the answer. But, by her severe tone the woman was obviously searching for a direct explanation which might magically make her feel better. Yuka might have been silly and awkward but she knew that the mother of her friends was worried and her mouth went dry as more guilt took hold of her. She channeled all the bravery which Kagome had taught her and forced the truth out.

"We tied a rope around Grey's waist because we wondered if he could reach the bottom of the well, it was more to inspect the portal than anything and we did not expect anything to happen, I saw those two and... Panicked, I let go and Sota tried to save his boyfr- Friend, I am guessing, and I don't know what happened from there" Yuka gave the whole story the best she could with her eyes focused into her lap. This was a horrid situation. They had promised Ms. Higurashi that they would not go to the well house. Now, this had happened.

"Oh, now you are going to be the one hit with the iron pan" Ginta stated, whistling before receiving a look from both Hakkaku and Sora which told him to shut up. The man quickly did so and the room took on a tense and quiet air. Yuka watched the woman and her heart ached at seeing and pain and worry etched into every fiber of her friend's mother. This was all her fault in a way... But, what had happened to the boys? The other female seemed to notice the curious and worried look she received before answering the obvious question.

"We sent Ginta into the well and he said there was no one at the bottom, whatever spell was cast to allow the two through has apparently taken my son and Grey" Ms. Higurashi struggled to say. This was harder than discussing Kagome, her daughter's first situation had been by accident and there had been Inuyasha to protect her. Sota had never been in the Feudal Era and had only heard stories. Those tales which her eldest child had told now haunted her and made her fear the worst for her boy and his young friend.

"Mhm and now Hakkaku and I are stuck here until our boss figures out what is going on and sends someone to get the well back open for us" Ginta tossed in, ignoring the look his closest compatriot gave him as he stepped forward and offered sympathetic looks. "If it helps, I know you both must be worried but Hakka and I cleared out the path to the village so there won't be any demons to bother your son and his friend" He was trying to soothe the situation. In a way, it seemed to relax the mother but only by a bit. She may never have been in the Feudal Era but it was rife with demons and they seemed to pop up from nowhere according to her daughter.

"How long until your leader sends someone?" Yuka asked, unable to stay quiet despite the tense way Sora glanced to her. She had done the woman a great misdeed and needed to tread on light ground for a while. "Well... Probably a month or two, we live a good bit away and were sent from the mountains, it took us a long time to get here" Hakkaku admitted, sighing because he knew what this would do. The children they spoke of seemed to have no survival knowledge which was basically a death sentence in his time. Granted, what he was learning about this place scared the hell out of him. Like, the box with all of the pictures and loud sounds? Kagome had told him about that once but he did not like it upon seeing it. There were demons inside, for sure.

Sora seemed ready to say something, she stood and gave the three of them resolute looks. However, a moment later she crumpled as Hakkaku rushed forward and caught her before she met the ground. It was all too much. First her daughter and now her son was gone and she had no way to help them. The woman passed out as Yuka moved to stand and quickly got close to her. "Here, carry her up the stairs while I get her a wet rag, she needs a little time" The girl ordered, motioning for the man to follow her as she tentatively watched them both.

Great. Sora and Grey were apparently in the Feudal Era. Ms. Higurashi had just passed out and probably hated her because of what had happened. Now, she was left with two strange men whom barely seemed to understand more than her. Also, if Kagome's stories had been right then she had to insure no one ever figured out what was going on here! Wonderful! But, she would not leave. But, did Yuka have the skill to be of any aid? Only time would tell...

-Scene Switch-

It was the dead of night. The forest was quiet except for the sound of frogs trilling in the distance where a clearing could be seen. But, Kagome was not focused on that right now. Instead, the young priestess stared into a large, dark cave which she had nearly forced Kohaku to take her to. The demon slayer stood behind her with a pensive look on his face and his weapons in hand. A long dagger in one and a chained chakram in the other. He was ready to defend her if anything came out of the entrance to harm them. What he didn't seem to realize is that she was much stronger than before.

Kaede and Shippo had been left in the village, they were both tired and exhausted. She had decided to not tell them where she was going in hopes they might get some rest and not notice she was gone. It was a long shot but something she would hope for. Their fight with Uriya had been taxing and Kagome was barely standing upright on her leg which technically still needed time to heal. The boy had begged her over and over again to listen but she was resolute in visiting the last place Sango had been seen. As she stared into the wide entrance, his story came back to mind.

"There was village which we had been working with for a while, a bunch of settlers looking for refuge stumbled upon a large open cave and when they explored it found a large valley within, there was fresh water from an underground stream and the stone made them feel safe so they chose to settle there. The village was called Hogo, which meant protection. They had thrived in the previous year and did beneficial trades with the Demon Slayers in return for labor and aid in making their settlement safer. Large wooden doors were erected at the entrance and the people became more confident. Then, it all went to hell..."

"The settlers stopped coming by to visit. It was gradual at first, just a lessened party of people whom came to bring goods. Also, their requests stopped coming and their last few trades were simply to repay us for the work we had been doing. Then, they stopped coming altogether. This was six months ago. At first, we believed that they had simply acquired all that they needed from us and were focused on making do themselves. But, then the reports started coming in from scouts whom would explore the area. News that the villagers never seemed to be active during the day and yet at night screams and cries could be heard, as if they were being tortured. When Sango learned this, she just had to go"

"First she went and then a few days later we sent another group to follow her, I was recovering from a near fatal wound from a strange demon whom got the jump on me or I would have been with them. We never heard from my sister or the group again. Since then, we have all tried to go in. But, undead seemed to be everywhere inside. The village must have taken to some strange affliction because the settlers bear horrid welts and swollen limbs. They are also hard to kill, it took three of us to eliminate just one. I have stood here every night for weeks on end and cried my sister's name, begging her to return to us... But, I never receive answer. We know now there must be a body, that she must have been slain. But, we can't even reach her to give her a proper burial-" At this point, she had slapped Kohaku.

Kagome refused to believe that Sango was dead. It did not matter how bleak the situation looked or what the hell was inside that damned cave. This was Sango, a woman whom had faced down not only Naraku, but hordes of his demon generals and other beings which had sought their deaths. Her sister had covered for her and protected her multiple times, even taking on Inuyasha himself when the man stepped out of line. She must still be in there and would never have allowed herself to be turned. The boy had admitted that they inspected every undead which had fallen outside the cave and none of them had been her. After that, the young priestess had demanded he show her where Sango was last seen.

Now, she just stared into the cave. The large wooden doors were barely opened, just enough so a few people could shamble through if they desired. It was a dangerous prospect, Kohaku seemed to not know much about the village itself having not been one of the workers and if they glanced in they might be liable to get their heads chopped off. But, her heart screamed that she needed to find their sister. To bring her back and show her that she was a damsel in distress no longer. Sango would be so proud of her. She couldn't be dead. She just... Well, damn it, she couldn't!

"Kagome... We can't yet" The demon slayer said from behind her, reaching cautiously out to place a hand on her shoulder. They shared the same desire to see his sibling once more even if he had been forced to believe she was gone. They needed her for guidance and his people needed the paragon of their society. She was so important to so many people, all of which prayed every day that she might still be alive. But, how would she have eaten? Was the water even safe to drink? Also, she was powerful but not against a constant onslaught of enemies that never seemed to end.

"I know, but I want to soon" The young priestess stated in response, knowing the truth as she glanced back to him. This was her next goal. She needed just enough time so that her leg could recover so she could walk properly and then they would return and find Sango. It was time that she did the rescue and stood tall as the hero. "I need only a day or two at most and perhaps some more arrows" She instructed, clutching her hands in front of her before sending a brief prayer to the heavens for her sister.

"I am going with you, I won't let you go alone" Kohaku told her resolutely, showing some of his backbone as he stepped up next to her and nodded his head. She offered a small smile in response and simply nodded her head in turn before clearing her throat. "Sango! Do you hear me? We are going to save you! I am here and so is Kaede and Shippo and even Kohaku! We are going to rescue you, just give us time!" She shouted suddenly, cupping her hands next to her mouth for emphasis.

"Yeah, sis! We are going to come in there so you better have your ass ready and a good explanation!" The boy next to her shouted, smiling brightly at the prospect of getting his sister back as a resolute feeling entered his soul. Together, they would do this. Kagome always seemed to worked magic on whatever situation she touched and the priestess was definitely different now. Perhaps, there was still that chance!

End Chapter

((A/N:Wonderful Chapter. I enjoyed writing this one. Things flowed easily and we are really getting into our story good now. It is looking to be a long one but I don't shy away from such a challenge. A little update on my life, I got a bunny and another puppy. Yes, I said another. I already have a huge outside dog and a small beagle mix named Bella. Now, I have Ana whom is a German Shepard and Pit Bull mix and Bun-Bun the white rabbit. Pair that with trying to get my GED and take care of dad and I have my hands full, haha! I hope you all stick around for the next chapter, things are beginning to get quite interesting. Bye for now, my friends.~))

Chapter Fifteen, To Save A Sister... , Preview:

-He stood there with his arms crossed while watching the other boy whom seemed to be unable to calm down. "I just don't get it, you grew up with her telling you stories about this place and yet you act like we are going to be killed any minute" Grey told him, rolling his eyes before sighing and sitting at the edge of the well. They had already tried jumping back in and all it had earned them were aching legs and sore hips. A wonderful start to their survival situation.

"Hey, I know that, but I never expected to be here, I really don't know what the fuck to do!" Sota shouted, pacing around in circles as he waved his arms around in a frustrated manner. The boy had no reason to watch his language without his mother around and the cursing helped relax him just a tiny bit. The Feudal Era was so different. Yeah, he should have expected that and perhaps their plan to explore the well had needed some more proper thought but now they were here and very ill prepared. What was there to do? He didn't even know the way to the village Kagome had told him about. Would she be there?

"We could just walk aimlessly in one direction and cry out for help" Grey stated with a sarcastic tone before shrugging his shoulders when his friend gave him a glare in response. He sighed softly before approaching the other male and reaching out, taking hold of his shoulders and forcing him to stop the damned pacing. "Listen, Sota, we can do this, I know it is scary but we are here now and just have to deal with it" He explained, looking at the man earnestly before offering a soft smile. "You were the one whom spoke every night about wanting to come here and experience what Kagome talked about, well, we are here now, together, we can do this" He said, his tone soft and comforting.

"Well... Yeah, I just don't know where to start, though" Sota whispered softly, calming down quickly now as he stared into the others eyes. A strange warmth, similar to what he felt often enough when he was alone with the other started to form. Then, suddenly, he found himself being shaken. "Well, rattle that damned head and remember where the fucking village is, Sota! I don't want to die out here" Grey shouted, shaking his friend's shoulders. It was his turn to freak out now.-


End file.
